


Cogs of Fate

by Zealprophet27



Category: Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-06 18:49:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 63
Words: 181,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21443527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zealprophet27/pseuds/Zealprophet27
Summary: As the war between Rittenhouse and Bloodstone comes closer to the end, the time team is faced with all new obstacles as they continue to prevent history from being ripped apart. But what happens when the consequences become too much to bear and their world changes before their very eyes? (Sequel to Scars of Time)
Relationships: Garcia Flynn/Original Character(s), Rufus Carlin/Jiya, Wyatt Logan/Lucy Preston
Comments: 72
Kudos: 29





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fritzen_lcaos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fritzen_lcaos/gifts).

Shots rang out behind Tenley as she ran through the dark forest towards the direction of the Lifeboat. She didn't dare glance over her shoulder as she ran. She knew that if she were to risk looking back to see how close they were, she'd trip and fall - and then, she'd be theirs. She couldn't risk that.

Scattered shouts and orders could be heard close behind. Tenley's heart pounded in her chest. She recognized the language they were speaking; German. She had hoped to have found the Allies' line or even a patrol wandering the forest but luck wasn't on her side. She knew the Germans were gaining on her - they knew the lay of the land better than she did.

Tenley skidded to a stop on the trail, quickly glancing about to try and get her bearings. One thing was certain - she was lost. She tried to steady her breathing in the silent night before hearing the voices behind her again. As she broke into a sprint, she began praying that the Lifeboat was near.

Her foot caught a tree root, bringing her down to her knees. Panic set in as the earth beneath her hands disappeared. She tumbled down the side of the hill and into the embankment. When she landed, she laid still for a moment, catching her breath and quickly assessing if she had broken anything on her tumble. Just before she contemplated scrambling back onto her feet, she held her breath and listened. There were no voices from up on the ridge but there were some voices ahead of her. She closed her eyes, afraid that she had stumbled upon yet another German line.

"Nine?!" a familiar voice called out.

Her heart skipped a beat. It was from Flynn. She scrambled to her feet, pushing her battered and exhausted body one more time in hopes of reaching Flynn - reaching the Lifeboat. When she pushed out of the ditch and the thick tree line, she spotted them. Her friends - Lucy, Rufus, and Flynn - were already inside the Lifeboat, calling out to her. She mustered up the courage once more and began sprinting for them.

"There she is!" Lucy shouted, pointing in Tenley's direction.

Rufus turned away from the hatch as he moved back inside. The Lifeboat began to whir to life. Lucy disappeared inside, most likely strapping in to leave the moment Tenley reached them. Flynn remained where he was by the hatch, watching intently as she approached.

Flynn shouted, "Come on! Hurry!" He beckoned to her with his hands.

Tenley's legs began to burn and turn to jelly. She worried that they'd give out from under her and she'd miss their escape - she was exhausted. Just as she got halfway across the long field toward the Lifeboat, a loud artillery blast echoed behind her in the dead of night.

Flynn jumped out of the Lifeboat, rolling onto his feet as he landed. He shouted over his shoulder at those inside the Lifeboat, "Get out of here!"

The hatch to the Lifeboat closed and locked. Tenley kept running toward them, while Flynn ran toward her. When he reached her, he wrapped his arms around her waist, tugging her away from the Lifeboat.

"What are you doing?" Tenley shouted.

Before Flynn could answer, a massive explosion landed where the Lifeboat had been just a second before it disappeared from sight. The blast knocked both of them off their feet.

All the air from Tenley's lungs escaped from behind her lips as she landed on the hard ground. She felt Flynn's weight suddenly on top of her, followed by the hot earth that rained down on top of both of them. Smoked filled their lungs as the debris settled around them, ears ringing slightly.

The two sat up, glancing over their shoulders at the place where the Lifeboat used to sit. Flynn scanned the area before stating, "They got out in time."

Tenley gasped for air, coughing slightly. "How do you know?"

"If they didn't, there'd be bits of the Lifeboat all over the place," he paused to look at her and added, "And you wouldn't be sitting here with me." She blinked at him, unsure how to respond.

The sounds of numerous guns being loaded behind them caused them to glance over their shoulders. They were surrounded by a small patrol of German soldiers. They spat orders in German at the two of them.

"Everything will be all right," Flynn whispered to her. "I promise."

The two of them raised their hands defensively while the Germans began searching them for weapons and other belongings.


	2. Danger In The Forest

Present Day

The moment the Lifeboat landed inside the bunker, sparks from the explosion they left behind snapped in the air surrounding them. Agent Christopher, Wyatt, Mason, and Jiya flinched at the sight.

The hatch began to open and when Agent Christopher noticed that only two of the four-man crew returned, she quickly asked, "What happened? Where's Flynn and Tenley?"

Visibly shaken, Lucy trembled. "We left them...oh my God..." she brought her hand to her mouth, choking back tears.

"Slow down," Wyatt cooed, wrapping her into the safety of his arms. "What happened?"

Rufus cleared his throat. "Short answer, they found us?"

Agent Christopher asked, "Can we go back and retrieve them?"

"Not until we repair the Lifeboat," Mason announced, taking a quick look at his machine. "Whatever happened on the other side, the machine took quite a beating."

Lucy choked back sobs. All she could think was how her future child was stuck in the past, behind enemy lines - and those from their current timeline parading around as historical figures. At least Flynn would be there to protect her.

"What can you tell me?" Agent Christopher asked again. Her eyes were begging for anything that would give her some idea as to what happened.

"Well," Rufus began. "Let's just say that Bloodstone helped bring the Gustav into existence but the good news is that we managed to destroy it before it could do any significant damage."

"This doesn't count as significant?" Mason muttered from the other side of the Lifeboat.

Wyatt glanced between Lucy and Rufus. "So, if you managed to destroy it, then where are Flynn and Tenley? Why aren't they with you?"

"Did I forget to mention Bloodstone?" Rufus quipped. "I feel that I might not have mentioned them..."

Agent Christopher raised her hands to keep the fragile peace as she interjected, "Look. Right now, we have to figure out what happened to them and how to get them back. So," she turned her attention to Mason, Jiya, and Rufus, "start with repairs to the Lifeboat." She turned to Lucy and Wyatt and added, "Let's see if we can't drum up any information in the books that might lead us to them."

Lucy dried her brown eyes and headed to her room to gather the history books that sat on her shelves. For the first time since returning to the present, Lucy felt a little wave of hope wash over her. Perhaps she could find something hidden in the books that would mention Flynn and her future child.

1942

The German soldiers had bound Flynn and Tenley's wrists together, pushing them forward along the forest path in the pitch-black night. Even with the cloud-covered moonlight lighting their way, they struggled to navigate through the wilderness. Tenley's foot caught another tree root on the path, throwing her to the ground.

She released a pained gasp when she hit the dirt, feeling her knees scraping the hard earth. She felt a pair of hands grip her upper arms tightly before being jerked her to her feet aggressively. "Ouch!" Tenley snapped. "Watch it!"

The man didn't release his hold of her. Instead, he leaned closer to her face and hissed, "Shut your mouth before I shut it for you."

She blinked at him, mouth agape. For whatever reason, she hadn't expected him to speak to her in perfect English. It took her longer than she cared to admit that he belonged to Bloodstone or Rittenhouse. Internally, she kicked herself - she should have assumed that most everyone that they ran across belonged to one of those two groups.

Another voice spoke up from behind the two. "Are you two going to stand there holding each other all night?"

The man holding her firmly never turned his gaze away from her as he addressed his friend. "Just making sure that she understands me."

Tenley swallowed nervously. "I understand."

His eyes twitched. "Good." Grip still digging into her upper arm, he pushed her forward along the path. She tripped slightly on her own feet but had managed to catch herself.

After a few yards, they stopped to rest. Tenley and Flynn were ordered to sit down while a couple of guards stood nearby them, guns at the ready.

Flynn eyed Tenley. "Are you all right?"

She exhaled heavily. "Yeah..."

He studied her for a moment. "Nine?" Her brown eyes lifted to meet his. He asked again with more concern, "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "As good as I can be given the circumstances."

Distant rumblings were heard. Flynn's eyes lifted to the sky, scanning the darkness. Brief flashes of light behind the thick cloud cover on the horizon could be seen. He turned to watch the armed men around them. None of them seemed to be concerned about the approaching storm.

As the wind picked up, Flynn continued to scan the area. It wasn't until the lightning overhead began to illuminate their surroundings that he felt a swell of fear growing in the pit of his stomach.

Raindrops started splattering on their heads and shoulders. It had started as a drop here and there but not even three minutes after that initial drop did the whole storm erupt into a downpour.

Flynn's eyes darted over to a rain-soaked Tenley. He pulled her close to him. "Be ready to run."

Her eyes grew wide. "What?"

The wind howled and whipped around them, causing the rain to strike their faces hard like sleet. The thunder cracked overhead loudly, shaking their bones - some so loud it made the group flinch.

Flynn shouted to her over the noise. "We're in a dike!"

Tenley's eyes darted around her. She hadn't noticed until he said something. She knew the dangers just being near such a place during a storm, let alone sitting inside one. It was just asking for something terrible to occur.

The ground began shaking slightly underfoot. Flynn grasped Tenley's elbow, lifting her to her feet. He never released his hold. Glancing over his shoulder, ignoring the shouts of the men surrounding them, he watched as a massive wave of water and debris began barreling towards them within the dike.

The lightning flashed, illuminating just how massive the approaching flood truly was. The soldiers who had been shouting over the storm at them had finally spotted it. They pushed passed their prisoners to shout warnings to their comrades. It was at this moment that Flynn began pushing Tenley into a sprint for the bank.

Tenley didn't have to be told twice. She saw the massive water wall coming for them. She knew they'd be unable to outrun this flood but she refused to die without trying. When she heard the occasional snap from bullets whizzing by their heads, did she realize that they were also being shot at by the enemy.

The only time Flynn released his hold on Tenley had been to climb up the embankment of the riverbed. With his wrists still bound before him, he struggled to get a decent grip into the earth to lift himself out. When he managed to get himself out, he whirled around to help Tenley.

Tenley struggled. The ground fell out from under her feet as she tried to get a decent grip. Within a second, Tenley felt the slam of the water smack into her, knocking her off her feet. She clawed her fingers into the ground, hoping to keep from being sucked downstream, but it was too late. She felt the ground disintegrate from under her hands as she was ripped away from Flynn.

Head underwater, Tenley tried to keep calm as she felt herself being tossed about in the raging waters. She felt her head breach the surface enough to grab a quick breath and to see where she was. She struggled to move within the currents towards the bank. She knew that her life depended on reaching the bank and soon.

Lightning lit up her surroundings once more and as her head popped out of the raging waters, she braced herself for the inevitable impact. Her body slammed into a fallen tree hard, pinning her against the massive trunk as the waters held her there, threatening to pull her back under. She released a pained scream as she struggled to get a better hold on the trunk. Her side burned with pain.

"Nine!" Flynn's voice shouted over the storm towards her.

She glanced over towards the bank to see Flynn standing there. "Flynn!" she choked on the water as she shouted back to him. Her grip loosening around the tree.

Flynn had somehow freed his wrists, she noticed. He began to test the strength of the tree with his foot. Once he believed that it would hold both of their weight and take the rushing waters slamming into it, he began to make his way over to her.

Tenley watched as Flynn carefully moved down the tree trunk towards her. Once he was near, he grabbed her wrists as he held onto a branch. Just as he started to help her up onto the top of the trunk, another body slammed into the trunk, closer to Flynn.

The man had been the same Bloodstone agent that had threatened Tenley earlier. He clawed at the trunk before seeing Flynn. He tried to reach for Flynn to pull him off, but Flynn kicked his hand away.

After a brief struggle, Flynn managed to knock the man off the tree trunk, sending him under the current. Turning his attention back to Tenley, he grabbed her, pulling her closer to him before lifting her onto the trunk.

The sound of the trunk cracking under them caused panic in Flynn. He started pulling Tenley towards the bank, never releasing his hold on her wrists. He refused to let her go this time.

Once they were on solid ground, the two collapsed next to each other. Tenley gasped for air, hissing in pain. Flynn set to work on her bound wrists, freeing her.

"We can't stay here," Flynn spoke over the storm. Tenley coughed as she pushed herself up to a seated position. She hissed, grabbing her side. Flynn reached for her to check. He didn't see any obvious wounds or blood.

Tenley offered, "My ribs are probably broken."

"Let's hope not," Flynn muttered as he started to help her to her feet. He glanced about the area, trying to decide which direction to head. Throwing a mental dart, he picked a direction and began to lead the way.

Present Day

Agent Christopher watched briefly as Rufus, Jiya, and Mason worked on the Lifeboat. It had certainly seen better days. She had been thankful that the Lifeboat didn't suffer more damage than it had upon its return from the past. The three hardly spoke while they worked. Denise was thankful that they seemed determined to fix the machine as quickly as possible.

She turned and glanced over to the common living area. Sitting at the table with large stacks of books surrounding them were Wyatt and Lucy. Agent Christopher had spotted a few books that had been dropped onto the floor - clearly the ones they had gone through and came up empty-handed.

Lucy and Wyatt were stressed. Denise understood to a point what they must be feeling. As a mother, she knew the feeling of fear whenever it came to her own children's safety. She recognized that familiar fearful facial expression they wore. There would be little she could do to help them.

Except for one. She turned on her heel and headed out of the bunker to her black SUV. She decided it was long overdue to have a meeting with her boss. She needed answers and help. Denise believed that if she met with her superior face to face, he wouldn't be able to tell her no. She also knew that she had nothing to lose at this juncture.

It took her less time than she thought it would to make the trip in. She pulled into the parking garage and took a deep breath. For some unknown reason, her nerves were unsteady. She exhaled sharply, climbing out of her vehicle and made her way into the building.

Navigating her way through Homeland Security's offices, she found herself marching by the receptionist for her boss. The poor girl tried to stop Agent Christopher but she was on a mission. She motioned to the girl to stay put as she entered the office.

She crossed the threshold and met the gaze of her boss as he sat behind his desk, slightly stunned by her sudden appearance. "Agent Christopher," he remarked. "I wasn't expecting to see you."

"Your door was open," she began. "Sorry for intruding but I need to speak with you."

"Everything all right?" he asked, setting his ballpoint pen onto the desk. He leaned back into his leather chair as he watched her.

She shook her head. "Unfortunately, no." She turned and closed the door before standing in front of his desk.

"Have a seat," he said, motioning to the chair behind her. "Tell me everything."

Agent Christopher sat down, determined to bear all to get what she so desperately needed.

Help.

Back at the bunker, Wyatt sighed heavily, slamming his history book closed. Lucy's eyes lifted to meet his frustrated gaze. He looked at her. "We're getting nowhere with this!"

"You don't know that-" Lucy tried to say.

"I do!" he snapped. "We haven't found anything about what happened to either one of them!"

Lucy's face turned angry as she glared back at him. "What do you want to do? Give up? Is that what you're telling me?"

"I don't know, Lucy!" he shouted. "Maybe Bloodstone won this time-"

"How dare you!" she spat. "Don't you dare give up on them!"

He shook his head. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe there's no mention of them because Rittenhouse and Bloodstone made sure to wipe their existence from history?"

Lucy blinked at him. "I can't just give up so easily."

"You think I'm giving up?"

"Yes, I do!"

Rufus and Jiya started to approach the fighting pair. Rufus opened his mouth to interject but didn't get the chance.

Wyatt stood up from the table. "Why are you so set on finding out what happened to them? Why not just head back after you left?"

"Because we don't know what happened after we left!" Lucy shouted. "You weren't there, Wyatt! They fired at the Lifeboat! They could do it again if we reappeared after that blast!"

"Then you land somewhere else!"

Lucy shook her head, clearly frustrated with him. She turned back to her stack of books, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall.

Wyatt motioned to all of the books strewn nearby. "They aren't in there! You're wasting your time!"

"I'm going to pretend that you didn't just tell me that I'm wasting my time searching for our daughter-"

"She's a grown woman that we met a year ago!" Wyatt retorted.

Lucy refused to look up from her history book to meet his gaze. Wyatt stormed away from the common living area to cool down. Rufus and Jiya exchanged glances before turning back to watch Lucy break down into a ball of tears.

Jiya crossed the room and wrapped her arms around Lucy. "We'll find them," she told Lucy. "We will. I know we will." Lucy sobbed into Jiya's arms.


	3. At The Bottom Of The Night

1942

"Are you all right?" Flynn asked. He bent down, hand outstretched as he helped Tenley back to her feet.

She grabbed his hand. "I will be."

He sighed, studying her face. "We have to keep moving."  
"I know...it's just... I can't see anything."

"Hold onto me. I'll try to find an easier path."

She gripped his hand tighter. He led them down the trail in the pitch black. The moon had been hiding behind the blanket of clouds and there seemed to be little hope of it reemerging.

After stumbling through the dark for a couple of minutes, the two stopped. Tenley asked, "What is it?"

Flynn's gaze remained on something up ahead. "I think we're coming up to a village."

Tenley turned her gaze out in the same direction, hoping to see whatever he had. "Do you think it's safe?"

"Only one way to find out," he told her.

The two made their way through the darkened woods towards the faint glow of a house nearby. The closer they got to the house, the easier it became to see the light coming from inside. Flynn's grip on Tenley's hand tightened.

Walking up to the house, Flynn scanned the surrounding area. No one else seemed awake in the village. He didn't see any patrols roaming the streets either. He hoped they had finally found a safe place to rest until the morning.

Raising his fist, he knocked quietly on the door. He turned back to look at Tenley. He could see the fear in her face as they waited on the front step of the home. Regret suddenly washed over him.

The door opened and the occupant inside the house looked over the two of them. "Yes?" the man asked in somewhat broken English. "Are you lost?"

Flynn nodded. "We were hoping to rest here for the evening...we'd be grateful for the help."

The man turned his gaze over to Tenley. She shifted uncomfortably under his watchful eye. He turned back to Flynn, opening the door wider for them to enter.

Tenley gripped Flynn's hand even more. He could feel her trembling in his grasp. He turned to look at her, hoping he had a reassuring look on his face, but his heart broke as he saw the amount of fear taking hold of her.

They entered the house and glanced about. Tenley inched her way closer to Flynn, almost like a security blanket. Flynn furrowed his brow as he glanced at her. He hadn't seen her this scared before and that fact alone had him more on edge than ever before.

The man motioned towards the modest dinner table. "Please," he said, motioning for them to join him.

Despite Tenley silently pleading with Flynn to leave, the two sat down at the table. "Thank you for your hospitality," Flynn said.

The man nodded. "Always happy to help."

Tenley took a moment to scan the house. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It was a simple farmhouse. She turned her gaze back to the man. He had been staring at her until she glanced at him. Once her eyes met his, he quickly averted his gaze back to Flynn.

"I must feed the animals," the man announced. "Have some food, drink..." he turned, pointing across the room to the bed. "Sleep. Rest."

Flynn nodded politely to the man. The man smiled, nodding in kind before turning and heading out of the house.

Tenley looked at Flynn. "We need to get out of here."

Flynn furrowed his brow at her. "We have nowhere else to go."

"He's up to something."

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't trust him...something's wrong-"

"He is an odd one-"

"No, Flynn," she interrupted him. "Something is very wrong here."

He held her stare for a moment. After realizing that she was probably right, he nodded, pushing himself up from the table. "Come on, before he returns."

She bolted to her feet, not having to be told twice. They started towards the door. Flynn opened the door quietly.

Standing on the other side of the door was a small platoon of German soldiers, raising their weapons at the two. The farmer stood behind them, a small smirk on his face.

Flynn pushed Tenley behind him, almost shielding her from harm should it come. He stared at the armed men before them.

The commander of the platoon stepped forward. "Let's go inside and become better acquainted, shall we?"

Flynn glanced over his shoulder to look at Tenley. Guilt washed over him for not believing Tenley's gut. He should have listened to her. He stepped back, making sure she remained behind him at all times. She clutched the back of his shirt tightly.

The armed men entered the farmhouse. The leader motioned to the chairs. "Have a seat. We have much to discuss."

Four other armed men entered the house, including the owner of the home, while the others stayed outside on guard. Once the pair were forced to sit, two of the armed men started to tie them to their seats with coarse ropes.

"Now then," the commander began. "Where did you come from? Where's your line?"

Tenley's gaze quickly darted over to Flynn. He held the man's stare.

The commander smirked. "You're quite safe for the moment as long as you cooperate." He pulled up a chair, sitting across from them. "If you choose not to, then it may very well be the last thing you do."

Tenley glanced between Flynn and the commander. Movement behind him caused her to turn her eyes to where the farmer stood. He had a mischievous grin on his lips. She swallowed nervously.

The commander noticed her staring back at the farmer. He glanced over his shoulder. He turned his gaze back to Tenley. "He's harmless for the most part."

"What are you planning on doing to us?" Flynn asked. "Who are you working for?"

The commander tilted his head at the question. He chuckled. "I thought the uniform would give that away." He stood up and said, "I must admit, I was quite surprised to hear that two American soldiers turned up here. I thought he was pulling my leg, but here you are."

Tenley noticed the color fade from Flynn's face. She turned her gaze back to the commander before them. It dawned on her that he wasn't Bloodstone nor Rittenhouse. He truly was a man from history.

The commander stated, "We'll sort out what you know before we have you executed in the main square." He stood up and looked them over, adding, "Don't try any heroics. We'll kill you on sight should you try to escape."

With that, the farmer and the commander left the house. Flynn turned towards Tenley. "Don't worry, I'll get us out of here." Tenley's stomach twisted in agony. She felt the bile churning as her face contorted in pain. Flynn noticed her anguish. "Nine? What's wrong?"

With a shaky breath, Tenley muttered, "I don't know...I...I feel like I'm being torn apart."

Flynn stopped struggling against his binds. "What do you mean?" She didn't answer right away but he noticed the color fading from her being. "Nine? Talk to me...what's going on?"

She forced herself to lift her gaze to meet his. "I don't know...but I feel like I'm being...erased..."

He had never seen that look on her face before. He opened his mouth to say something to her. "Nine, I-"

He never had the chance to finish his sentence. He watched as she dissolved in nothing before his eyes. The only thing that remained was the binds on the chair.

Tears fell from his eyes as he shouted without thinking, "Nine! No!" He bucked in his seat, trying hard as he could to free himself from his chair.

The door to the farmhouse burst open, guns aimed at him. The commander entered the house. The man's eyes darted from the struggling Flynn to the empty chair beside him.

Eyes filled with ire, the commander approached Flynn. "Where is she?"

Flynn shook his head. "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."

The commander backhanded Flynn. "Tell me!" When Flynn didn't say anything, the commander whirled around. "Search the area! Find her! Shoot on sight!" Flynn swallowed as he turned his gaze back to the commander. The commander smirked as he stated, "We will find her, believe me, and when we do, there's nothing that will save either of you."

Flynn just blinked in response.

The commander rubbed his temple. "Unfortunately for you, you won't live to see whether or not we find her." He snapped his fingers and motioned for the soldiers to pick Flynn up. "Take him to the post. We'll deal with him now."

Flynn struggled against the hold of the soldiers. He knew that he had to try to get away. When he managed to break the hold of one of them, the other had smacked him in the face with the butt of his gun, bringing Flynn to his knees.

They grabbed him from under his arms, dragging him to the wooden post that had been erected in the village square. They sat him against the post, tying his arms behind it.

The commander meandered his way to the center. He ordered his soldiers to take aim at Flynn in German. Flynn lifted his eyes to the commander. The order to fire was given and Flynn watched the guns light up the night sky before he felt the searing pain engulf him.

Present Day

Agent Christopher entered the bunker and immediately felt the tension lingering in the air. On edge, she walked to the main living area. It was quiet. She scanned the room. When her dark eyes landed Rufus, Jiya, and Mason, she asked, "What happened?"

The three exchanged glances before Rufus spoke up. "Do you want the short version?"

"I just want an answer," she sighed.

"Long story short, Lucy and Wyatt got into a big fight," Rufus stated.

Denise furrowed her brow. "About what?"

"Well..." Rufus turned to look at the others, eyes pleading for help.

Jiya cleared her throat. "I think it had to do with where Flynn and Tenley ended up back in 1942."

"Did they find anything?" she asked.

"Well," Jiya started. "that's sort of the issue... Wyatt gave up and Lucy refused to, and-"

Agent Christopher held up her hand. "I think I can figure out the rest. Where are they?"

Before anyone could answer, movement behind Agent Christopher caught the attention of the three. "What's going on here?"

Denise didn't have to look to know who they were talking about. "I asked for help."

"What kind of help?" Rufus asked, eyeing the people entering the bunker.

"What did you do?" Mason asked, stepping forward to observe the newcomers.

Agent Christopher shifted in her place. "We can't find them on our own. It's apparent that Bloodstone and Rittenhouse are too overpowered for us. We needed help, so I got help."

The three shifted uncomfortably in their places as they watched several men dressed in professional attire enter the bunker. One approached the group and stood next to Agent Christopher. He eyed the three, offering a kind smile. "I'm sorry for intruding into your space," he stated. "I'm only here to help and then we'll get out of your hair." He smiled at them before adding, "I must say how excited I am to finally meet all of you in person. It brings you to life instead of just reading about you on paper."

Mason asked, "And you are?"

"Forgive me!" the man replied, almost stunned. "Where are my manners?" He extended a hand out to Mason. "I'm Mr. McCann. Luke, to my friends."

Mason shook his hand, eyeing the man. He glanced over to Denise. "Charmed, I'm sure."

Agent Christopher looked at Rufus. "Will you find Wyatt and Lucy and bring them out here please?" Rufus nodded and eyed Luke before heading out of the room.

Jiya asked, "I'm sorry but...why are these people here?"

Luke replied, "Sometimes when you're dealing with a difficult problem, it helps to have someone from the outside take a look. They often see things that might have been missed by those dealing with the issues."

Wyatt, Lucy, and Rufus joined the group. Agent Christopher nodded curtly. "Glad you guys could join us." She noticed the tension between Wyatt and Lucy.

Usually, the two lovebirds were standing next to each other, lovingly gazing into each others' eyes but instead of that, Denise watched as they kept their distance from one another, arms crossed over their chests.

Luke cleared his throat, glancing over to Agent Christopher. "If you don't mind, I'd like to get started?" She nodded, motioning to the team. He turned his attention to the group. "As I've said moments before, I'm Luke McCann. I'm one of Agent Christopher's supervisors. She came to me to ask for some help in finding your fellow teammates as well as getting the Lifeboat back up and running. I've brought in a small team of highly skilled individuals to back you up."

"Back us up?" Wyatt repeated, scoffing at the man. "I thought the smaller the team, the safer we'd all be?"

Denise opened her mouth to rebut, but Luke responded quicker. "While that's generally true, you have been struggling to fix your mistakes from this last mission."

"Mistakes?" Wyatt spat. "What do you even know about what happened?"

"Not only did Agent Christopher inform us of what happened," Luke began. "but we also have your mission logs downloaded to our main servers. We know everything that goes on here, even if we aren't here to see it for ourselves."

Mason's brow furrowed as he glanced over to Agent Christopher. "Is that true?"

She nodded. "There was no reason to tell you-"

"That they've got a tracker on the Lifeboat and a direct link to our servers?" Mason questioned. "Seems like a violation of privacy."

"Sounds like a surefire way to let Bloodstone and Rittenhouse know our activities," Wyatt quipped.

"I assure you that our servers are protected with the highest level of security and firewalls-" Luke tried to explain.

Wyatt turned his heated gaze back to Luke. "I don't care about your security measures!" He turned his angry eyes back to Denise. "It doesn't seem to matter what kind of safety you think you have, Rittenhouse and Bloodstone have both proven they can bypass all of that. And you're letting them do this?"

Agent Christopher sighed heavily. There would be nothing she could say that would help ease their minds. She understood - to a point - their frustrations. She blinked at them. "Let's try to remain focused. First thing's first, we need to find out what happened to Flynn and Tenley."

Luke cleared his throat again, eyeing Wyatt out of the corner of his eye. "I've already assigned some people to both research and repair-"

"Excuse me?" Mason chimed in. "No one is touching my machine-"

"We don't have time to argue," Luke replied. "The sooner it's fixed, the sooner we can rescue our people." He glanced over to Mason and added, "And it's not your machine...it's the government's."

"Rescue our people?" Rufus repeated with a furrowed brow.

"Look," Luke sighed, placing his hands on his hips. "You don't like me; that's fine. I don't need to be liked. I am trying to help you and your friends before it's too late. As soon as they're back, we're out of your hair and your space."

Lucy nodded. "I think we have no choice."

"Now who's giving up," Wyatt mumbled.

Lucy blinked back some tears as she brushed by Luke. Jiya glared at Wyatt. She sighed, "That was mean." Jiya turned and chased after Lucy.


	4. Salvation

It took less than two days for Luke's team as well as Rufus, Jiya, and Mason to fix the Lifeboat. Mason had even double-checked all of their work, making sure that they weren't cutting corners or sabotaging the machine. He was genuinely surprised when things were done correctly.

Agent Christopher approached the console where Jiya sat. She leaned over and asked quietly, "How are things going here?"

Jiya nodded. "They've fixed the Lifeboat faster than any of us could have on our own," she admitted. "I think Mason is trying to find something wrong with what they did though."

"Let him do what he feels he has to," Denise muttered, standing up straight.

Jiya chuckled. "Oh, before you go," she started. Typing rapidly at the console, she continued, "The Mothership jumped three times since we've been grounded."

"Three?" Denise repeated. "Why didn't the alarms go off?"

Jiya cleared her throat. "I... silenced them."

"What?"

Jiya nodded. "I didn't want them to know about what happens here."

"Why didn't you say anything before now?"

"When did we have time?" Jiya asked. "It's not like we could go after them even if the alarms had sounded."

Agent Christopher sighed, lips pressed into a thin line. "So, where did they go?"

Before Jiya could answer, one of Luke's men shouted from across the main living area, "I think I've got something here!"

Luke, Agent Christopher, and the remaining members of the time team approached the man behind the laptop. They waited for the man to speak up. When he didn't, Luke asked almost impatiently, "What'd you find?"

The man shifted the laptop around for the audience surrounding him to see. "I have been digging through history files for 1942 and I think I finally found Flynn."

The image on the screen depicted what looked to be a man bound to a wooden post, slouched over to the left with his face nearly touching the dirt. There were a few bullet wounds on the man's chest.

Lucy squinted as she stared at the screen. She leaned forward to get a better look at the image shown. "What am I looking at?" She could see the man's figure but couldn't make out any identifiable aspects to him.

The man shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "His execution."

"What?!" Lucy gasped, standing up straight. "Are you sure that's Flynn?"

The man licked his lips, eyes darting around the group. He was nervous. "According to the very brief information available on this, an American man and woman had stumbled into a small farming village that was under German occupation. The Germans planned to interrogate them before executing them."

"So, what happened?" Agent Christopher asked as she examined the image on the screen. "I only see Flynn here."

"From what I've gathered," the man began. "Flynn was executed by German forces in that town-"

"What about Tenley?" Lucy interrupted.

He shook his head. "There's no mention of her outside of the initial statement of the man and woman seeking shelter."

"Something happened to her then," Lucy added. She glanced over to Agent Christopher. "We have to go and bring them back!"

Wyatt scoffed. "And take on an entire German platoon?"

Lucy whirled around, brows furrowed. "Why not? You're a soldier. I'm sure you've done this before!"

"We don't even know when the execution took place!" Wyatt argued. "We could show up too soon-"

"Or too late!" Lucy shouted. "We have to try!"

"Enough!" Agent Christopher shouted, hands outstretched to keep the peace. She turned back to the man on the laptop. "Does it give any ideas to when this execution took place?"

The man swiveled the computer around and typed madly at the keyboard. "Shortly after they reached the village...it doesn't go into too much detail, unfortunately."

"Is this something that Bloodstone or Rittenhouse did?" Rufus asked. "Seems like limited knowledge for something so odd."

Lucy shook her head. "Sometimes history is vague because the responsible parties destroyed the evidence. It's not like today where everything is easily recorded and plastered onto mainstream media."

The man at the computer glanced about the room of people. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Agent Christopher noticed the man's discomfort. She sighed, turning her attention to Luke.

"What do you think?" she asked. "Should we try?"

Luke scanned the room of people before nodding. "I think it's worth the risk if we want to bring them home in one piece."

"And what if we can't find Tenley?" Wyatt asked. He motioned to the man at the computer. "He even said that there's no mention of her. Are we supposed to scour the area until we find her?"

"If you can save Flynn," Luke began. "Maybe he could tell you where she is."

Lucy nodded in agreement. Jiya noticed that for the first time in a few days, Lucy's expression showed some hope again. She glanced up at Rufus who had met her gaze. He offered a small smile, showing her that he saw the same thing.

"You better get going then," Agent Christopher ordered. "Be careful. Bring them home."

Wyatt's jaw clenched as he followed Rufus to the Lifeboat. He wasn't convinced that this was the right decision but he had been overruled. He decided to play the role of the good soldier and do what he had been ordered to do.

The two men climbed into the recently repaired Lifeboat. Rufus sat at the controls. As Wyatt strapped himself into his seat, he could hear the clicking of buttons and the hatch closing. He shook his head as the machine shook and launched them back into the past once more.

1942

Wyatt took point as he navigated toward the small village that was mentioned in the history books. Rufus followed closely behind, eyes wide as he scanned the area. He feared they'd be discovered and meet a similar fate to Flynn.

Wyatt stopped them in the thick brush as he spotted the village. "Looks like we found the place."

"Are you sure?" Rufus asked. "There's no one-"

"Nine!" a familiar voice shouted within the nearby house.

The two exchanged glances. Rufus asked, "Was that Flynn?"

They turned back to watch the house. A small group of German soldiers approached the house. They didn't have to wait long before they watched as the German soldiers led Flynn toward the center of town.

"I don't see Tenley," Rufus pointed out.

Wyatt nodded. "Let's go."

"What?" Rufus asked. "Are you seriously going to take on the entire platoon by yourself?"

"I'm a soldier, right?" Wyatt spat, mocking Lucy's jab earlier.

"Okay, Rambo," Rufus muttered, following Wyatt as he cautiously pressed forward.

As they stayed hidden in the shadows, moving closer to the village center, Wyatt could make out Flynn being tied to the post as the soldiers prepared to open fire upon him.

"We have to go," Wyatt stated. He pulled his modern-day handgun from his hidden holster. He loaded the chamber quickly and quietly. "Stay here," he told Rufus.

Rufus opened his mouth to speak but Wyatt had already taken off for the center.

Rufus watched with paralyzing fear as Wyatt charged into the square, firing round after round at the German forces present. When he had finished eliminating them, he quickly began freeing Flynn from the post.

His mouth hung open as the two started to flee the center as more Germans poured out of neighboring houses. Wyatt sprinted toward Rufus, hissing, "Go! Go!"

Rufus scrambled to his feet and fled toward the Lifeboat. His mind raced with thoughts of deja vu and disbelief that Wyatt just charged in headfirst without thinking.

The three clamored into the Lifeboat. Rufus asked, "Where's Tenley?"

"We have to go!" Wyatt shouted as bullets rang out nearby.

Flynn shook his head at Rufus. "I don't know."

"Rufus!" Wyatt shouted again.

Leaving little choice in the matter, Rufus powered the Lifeboat and escaped from 1942 with Flynn in tow.

Present Day

Lucy stared at the opening hatch to the Lifeboat with hopeful anticipation. Once the hatch was fully open, she watched as Wyatt exited first. She noticed his frustrated expression and her clasped hands fell apart from one another.

Rufus was the next to climb out of the Lifeboat. He seemed on edge and Lucy wanted to know why. She began to make her way towards him when she spotted Flynn's exit.

When Flynn reached the bottom of the steps, Lucy threw herself into his arms, embracing him tightly. She glanced back up to the hatch. "Where's Tenley?"

Flynn swallowed before looking down at her with sad eyes. He didn't have to say a word before Lucy's eyes began to form tears. "I don't know."

Flynn's gaze tore away from Lucy to see new people within the bunker. He tilted his head as he watched Agent Christopher approach. "Were we expecting company for dinner?" he asked.

Before Agent Christopher could reply, Luke approached him. "I think I speak for everyone here when I say that we're happy to see you again." He glanced behind Flynn toward the Lifeboat. "Where's Dr. Levinson?"

Flynn blinked at him. He turned his gaze back to Agent Christopher. "What's going on? Who's this?"

Denise's shoulders fell slightly. "I had no choice but to ask for help."

Flynn sighed heavily, a lecture showing behind his eyes. "What did you do?"

Luke cleared his throat. "I know that I'm not wanted here," he began. Flynn turned toward him. He continued, "As soon as we can help you find Dr. Levinson, we'll be out of your hair."

Flynn stood up straight. "I'm not sure that we will find her."

"What do you mean?" Luke asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Flynn's eyes darted around the room to the enraptured audience surrounding him. His jaw clenched before his eyes landed on Lucy. He could see the pain behind her eyes. "She's gone..."

"Gone where?" Luke pushed.

Flynn shook his head. "Gone..."

A sob escaped Lucy's lips. Her hand clasped around her mouth as she tried to keep her composure. Jiya wrapped her arms around Lucy as she began to stumble toward a chair.

Luke's face fell. "What happened back there in 1942?"

Flynn held the man's expression. "War happened. She was a casualty of war."

Lucy's head tilted at Flynn's statement. She raised her crying eyes back up to him. She stifled her sobs, rubbing her nose on the back of her hand. She realized that he had purposely answered in that manner.

Flynn shook his head. "Was there anything else or can I get cleaned up?"

Luke nodded. "Of course, I'm sorry..." The moment Flynn brushed by him, Luke turned to Agent Christopher. "I'm sorry about your doctor. It would appear that our help is no longer needed." He motioned to his crew to begin packing up. He added, "I'll be in touch to see how the battle goes. Let me know if there is anything more you need from me...and please, don't hesitate to reach out."

Agent Christopher gave him a curt nod. "Of course. Thank you."

Luke turned and helped his men break down their equipment for transport.

A few hours later, Luke and his men had left the bunker. It returned to the quiet and familiar place once more. Once it had returned to normal, Flynn reemerged from his room. He entered the main living area. His eyes landed on Agent Christopher as she appeared to be on her way home.

"Do you have a minute?" he asked.

She stopped and looked up at him. "Of course. What's on your mind?"

"We need to talk about 1942," he stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

She glanced at her feet before returning her gaze to his. "I suspect that we do."

"The Germans didn't kill her," he blurted out.

Agent Christopher's brows knitted together. "But you said-"

"I didn't say that the Germans did it," he reminded her. "I simply said that she was gone."

Denise tilted her head. "You said she was a casualty of war-"

"That's right," he agreed. "The war between Bloodstone and Rittenhouse...not the Germans."

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "So...let's get it all out on the table. No more riddles or talking in circles." She turned and approached the table. She set her things down next to a chair and sat. "Start from the beginning. What happened?"

Flynn sat across from her and began regaling her with what took place the moment the Lifeboat left them behind in 1942. He walked her through their capture by Rittenhouse men and their escape during the flash flood. He detailed their capture by actual German forces in the village. He paused for a moment before describing Tenley's vanishing. He ended his story with how Wyatt charged into the village square moments before he was to be executed.

Denise sat in silence as she took in all of his words. For the first time in a while, she had been speechless. She wasn't sure what to say. It didn't make sense to her. After a moment, she asked, "She just disappeared?"

He nodded. "I'm assuming that there's been no mention of her anywhere?"

Denise shook her head. "No. We barely managed to find you in the history books."

The two heard someone walking into the room and turned their eyes to see Wyatt entering. Wyatt glanced between the two. "Sorry," he said, hands raised defensively. "Just coming in for a drink."

Flynn's eyes narrowed at Wyatt. He watched the man until they were alone again. He turned back to Denise. "I take it he's been in a mood since they left us?"

Denise nodded. "He and Lucy have been fighting since they got back."

Flynn scratched the side of his face. He started to piece together what could have been the reason for Tenley's disappearance.

Before Flynn had a chance to continue, Jiya came rushing into the main living area. She held her laptop in her hands. "The Mothership jumped!"

"Why are the alarms not going off?" Flynn questioned.

"Oh, I turned them off when Agent Christopher's friends were here," she admitted. "Don't worry, I'll turn them back on later."

Denise stood up from the table. "We should get them out here then."

"Already done," Jiya said. "Rufus is getting them." As Rufus rounded the corner with Lucy and Wyatt close behind, Jiya muttered, "Speak of the devil and he shall appear."

Agent Christopher shook her head. "Where are they?"

"They've gone to Norfolk, Virginia," Jiya read. "November 20, 1852."

Lucy's brows knitted together as she thought over the date. She tilted her head as she said, "The date sounds familiar but...I'm not entirely sure."

"Make sure you're careful," Agent Christopher said. "And let's make sure that everyone comes back this time."

Lucy, Rufus, Flynn, and Wyatt headed for the Lifeboat and climbed inside. The hatch closed behind them. The Lifeboat shook to life and disappeared into time.


	5. A Tenuous Bond

1852

The time team walked along the docks of Norfolk, watching the crews of the various ships loading crates and supplies. One massive black paddle-wheeled steam frigate sat in the harbor and the team could see cannons being lifted and loaded onto the vessel. Scattered orders were being shouted across the port.

As the team walked along the pier, Wyatt gazed out into the harbor. "So, anything ringing a bell in that head of yours?"

Lucy's eyes widened at his choice of words. She stared at him in disbelief. Flynn had turned his gaze over to Wyatt, brow furrowed.

Rufus blinked at him. "Could you be any more of a jerk?"

"What?" Wyatt started. "I'm just asking if anything seems familiar."

"Maybe you should learn some new phrases," Rufus muttered.

Lucy released a heavy sigh as she turned back to the ships in the harbor. She watched the men who were hard at work, loading supplies onto the black steamer. Her eyes drifted over to see a tall man overseeing the progress. The longer she stared at him, the more his features seemed familiar to her.

His frame was wide, showing his weight to be heavier than his comrades. His long face with droopy cheeks had his name on the tip of her tongue. His sunken eyes drifted over to the man on his right and he barked more orders.

"That's Admiral Perry," Lucy finally said.

Flynn watched the officer for a moment. He recognized the name, but he was drawing a blank as to his importance.

Wyatt crossed his arms over his chest. "Okay, so...we know who he is but do we know why Rittenhouse is here?"

Lucy turned around to address the team. "Matthew Perry was the man who succeeded in opening trading routes to most of Asia and Japan." She thought for a moment longer before adding, "The dates fit his journey to Japan for the first time."

"I'm sorry," Rufus interrupted. A small, amusing smile started to grace his lips. "Did you say his name was, 'Matthew Perry'?"

Lucy nodded. "Yes..."

Rufus chuckled, turning his gaze to the other members of the time team. "I wonder if his first mate's Matt LeBlanc."

Lucy rolled her eyes. Flynn blinked at him. Wyatt had released a short laugh. Rufus seemed proud of himself for the joke.

Lucy turned her eyes back to the ship. "I'm not sure why Rittenhouse would be here...I mean, even if he fails negotiations with Japan, which he will, he comes back and eventually gets them to open up ports for trade."

"So, you're saying that it's going to happen regardless?" Wyatt asked.

She nodded. "Even if Rittenhouse stops this from being successful, it's only a matter of time, maybe years from now, that the ports open...It doesn't make any sense."

"Unless this is Bloodstone?" Rufus reminded them. "Maybe they have something to gain by being here?"

The sullen-looking man began to make his departure from his vessel. The team watched as he pushed by his crew and headed down the street. "Should we follow him?" Wyatt asked.

"We probably should," Lucy replied. "Don't you?"

Wyatt's jaw tensed. "I guess I'll call the shots then..." He motioned for the team to follow him as he walked down the lane.

Flynn eyed Wyatt as he followed him. His eyes turned to Lucy. He could see how upset she had become and he knew that it had everything to do with the way Wyatt was treating her.

"You guys okay?" he asked.

Lucy lifted her gaze to meet his. "I don't know."

Flynn turned his attention back to Wyatt. "What caused the trouble in paradise?"

Lucy glanced away from Flynn. She wasn't entirely sure. She had an idea, of course, but she didn't want to tell Flynn. He had been with Tenley and only he had come back.

Flynn studied her body language for a moment before saying, "It's okay. You don't have to tell me."

Lucy gave him a small appreciative smile. "Thanks."

"Just don't worry about him either," Flynn added. "He'll calm down and come around in no time."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because he's madly in love with you."

Before Lucy could reply, the team found themselves standing outside a pub. Wyatt turned to address the group. "Well, should we go introduce ourselves?"

"And what would that accomplish?" Flynn asked. "We don't even know if Rittenhouse or Bloodstone is here for him."

"Never hurts to ask," Wyatt retorted.

Rufus glanced between the two. "So...yeah...I'll just...I'll just wait over here."

Wyatt gave a curt nod before turning and tugging the door to the pub open. Flynn followed Lucy as he held the door for her.

Inside the pub, the smell of urine mixed with beer filled their noses. Wyatt brought his arm up, using the crook of his elbow to cover his face. He turned to Lucy. "What the hell is that?"

"Welcome to 1852," she replied, nose crinkled slightly. Her eyes scanned the men inside. When her gaze landed on the familiar frame of Perry, she headed over to his table.

Matthew Perry sat in the corner of the pub, back to the wall. He had set his hat down on the table and had already downed half of his pint. When he set his drink down on the table, his eyes drifted up to see Lucy standing there.

"Hello," he slurred. "I don't remember your face..."

Lucy forced a smile. "I'm not from around here."

He laughed. "No, I suspect you wouldn't be...you have too nice of teeth and skin to be from here." Flynn raised an eyebrow at the remark, exchanging glances with Wyatt. Perry motioned to the chair in front of Lucy. "Please, sit. Join me!"

Lucy continued her fake smile as she sat down on the sticky wooden chair across from Perry. He grabbed his pint and chugged a bit more from it. He set it down with a loud thunk. He motioned to the man behind the bar. "More over here!"

Lucy shifted uncomfortably in her seat as the bartender brought another pint over for Perry. She waited until they were alone again before asking, "Are you planning a trip?"

Perry set the pint down, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. "In two days, I'll set sail."

"Where to?"

Perry glared at her. His eyes darted between the team. His cheerful demeanor had suddenly shifted to cold and distant. "You're them, aren't you?"

"I don't know what you mean," Lucy admitted honestly.

Perry's expression hardened. "I met a fortune peddler on the street a week ago. She told me to expect a group of strangers who would come and try to stop the expedition."

"We're not here to stop your expedition-"

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Perry interrupted. "I have no further business with you. Good day."

Wyatt held his hand out to keep Perry seated. "Just a minute-"

"I said, good day!"

Flynn cleared his throat. "This peddler you saw... red hair?"

Perry held Flynn's gaze for a moment. "Yes. How'd you know?"

Flynn sighed, briefly exchanging glances with the others. "She's a spy."

"Spy!" Perry laughed. "What government would hire a woman to do such a deed!" He stood up. "I have heard just about enough for one evening." He picked up his hat and put it on top of his head. "I will say it once more and no more. Good day!"

He pushed passed Wyatt, hitting him in the shoulder with his own. Wyatt glared at the Admiral as he left. Once they were alone, he turned and asked, "What do we do now? Do we track down Emma?"

"That's assuming she's still here," Flynn pointed out.

Lucy shook her head as she stood up. "Let's go outside and talk to Rufus. Maybe he'd have an idea."

The three exited the pub to see Rufus peering around the corner. Wyatt approached him. "What are you doing?"

Rufus glanced over his shoulder before returning his gaze to whatever he had been looking at. "I think this is a Bloodstone mission."

"What makes you say that?" Wyatt asked. "He told us inside that he had spoken to Emma."

Rufus tilted his head for a moment before saying, "Well, he's currently talking to the Men in Black."

"Seriously?" Wyatt asked, moving around Rufus to get a better look.

Around the corner, Wyatt spotted Admiral Perry having a conversation with four men in black suits. They didn't seem to be getting along.

Lucy scanned the street. She wondered why Emma would have told Perry to be on the lookout for people who would try to stop his expedition. Emma had to have known that they wouldn't have tried to stop it. She began to wonder if Emma had meant the Bloodstone men instead.

"What if Emma was warning Perry about them instead of us?" Lucy asked.

"Why would she do that?" Wyatt asked, turning back to face her. "Emma is just as bad as Bloodstone."

"That's true," Rufus added. "I mean, she did bring them back to life, so to speak."

Flynn kept his eyes trained on Perry and the Bloodstone men. Perry's body language was tense. He could see the Bloodstone men were losing patience with him. When Perry stormed off, Flynn cleared his throat. "We're going to lose him."

The Suits separated into two teams of two and headed in opposite directions. Wyatt said, "Well, we better follow him."

Rufus nodded. "We should...I mean, after all, we're all Friends, right?"

Wyatt shook his head as he rounded the corner to follow Perry. Flynn gave Rufus an 'I can't believe you' look. Rufus chuckled as he brought up the rear of the group.

Admiral Perry had stumbled through the streets of Norfolk on his way home. The team followed a safe distance behind. The crowds on the streets were dwindling as the sun continued to set.

Feeling uncomfortable as though someone was following them, Lucy stopped and scanned the streets around them. Flynn stopped next to her and lifted his eyes to see what she was looking at. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Lucy shook her head. "I feel like we're being watched."

Flynn's eyes drifted over the dissipating crowd. He didn't see anyone staring at them. Most of the people were busy gathering their things and heading inside. He glanced back down at Lucy. He could see the worry behind her eyes. She looked up at him and for a moment, he saw Tenley staring at him.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Lucy said.

"Never doubt your intuition," Flynn told her. "You have it for a reason."

Wyatt gave a small shout over his shoulder at the two of them, "Hey! You guys coming or not?"

Flynn rolled his eyes, lips pressed into a thin line. He motioned for Lucy to walk before him as he brought up the rear. He continued to scan the area, suddenly becoming hyper-aware of their surroundings.

Rufus and Wyatt led the group onward. The moment they walked around the corner, they stopped. Standing behind Admiral Perry on his front porch was a figure dressed in a long hooded cloak.

The team watched carefully from a distance as the two conversed. Perry waved angrily to the figure, shouting, "Get out of here before I call the authorities!"

Perry opened his front door and entered his house. He glared at the figure one last time before slamming the old wooden door closed. The figure stood motionless for a moment before turning and sauntering away from the house.

"That's got to be Emma," Wyatt offered. "He said she was a fortune peddler, right?" Lucy nodded. He added, "Then let's go have a chat with her."

Rufus motioned to the house. "What about Chandler?"

"We'll deal with him later," Wyatt replied. "Besides, I think he's too angry and drunk right now for us to deal with."

Lucy nodded. "Wyatt's right. We should follow Emma. She might know why Bloodstone is here."

Wyatt muttered something under his breath that no one caught before he turned the corner to follow Emma down the lane.

Rufus gave Lucy a sympathetic look before catching up with Wyatt. Flynn watched Wyatt for a moment, wondering why he was behaving like a petulant child.

As they tracked down Emma, Lucy pointed ahead of them. "I think I see her! We can't let her disappear!"

"Thanks 'mom'," Wyatt spat. "I think we know that."

Flynn balled his hands into fists. He was beginning to lose patience with Wyatt. He knew that now wasn't the time to call him out on his behavior and disrespect. He'd have to wait until they were back at the bunker to do so.

Rushing forward, the team rounded the corner into a dark alley. Standing before them was Emma. She had her gun pointed at them, standing at the ready. "Took you long enough."

The team raised their hands defensively. Wyatt asked, "What are you going to do? Shoot all of us?"

Emma scoffed. "I'm not here for you."

"Then why are you here?"

"To stop Bloodstone," Emma informed them. "Just like you."

"Then why did you tell Admiral Perry to be careful around us?" Lucy asked.

Emma's face contorted in confusion. "I didn't warn him about you."

"He said that you had warned him about a group of strangers that would try to stop his expedition," Lucy explained.

Emma released a short laugh. "Oh for the love of..." she paused, lowering her gun. "I was warning him about Bloodstone, not you. I didn't even know that you were going to be here."

"Where else would we be?" Wyatt spat.

Emma glared at him. "Looking for your doctor," she stated. "Or do we not care about her like I thought you did?" She turned her gaze over to Lucy and added, "Clearly her absence bothers you, but why not him?"

Lucy opened her mouth to reply but Wyatt asked, "What's Bloodstone trying to accomplish here?"

Emma held Lucy's gaze for a moment longer before blinking and turning back to Wyatt. "I'm still working on that one myself."

Rufus scoffed. "You don't know? How do you not know?"

The frustration on Emma's face was growing. "They don't tell me everything-"

"So why should we believe you?" Wyatt asked. "How do we know that this isn't some kind of distraction?"

She shrugged. "It could very well be a distraction," she admitted. "But right now, I'm trying to get him to continue forward with his expedition."

Flynn's brows knitted together. "Is he planning on canceling it?"

Emma shrugged. "He doesn't seem open to speaking to many about his plans."

Lucy nodded in agreement. After the conversation she had with him in the pub, she knew that Emma was telling the truth. Perry wouldn't reveal much to anyone and it surprised her that even in his drunken state, he was still tight-lipped.

Wyatt shook his head. "I think you know why Bloodstone is here and I think you're here because Rittenhouse also has a reason."

Emma raised an eyebrow at him. "So you've got it all figured out then?"

Wyatt shrugged at her. "It's what you've always done."

"Perhaps times are changing," Emma said. "Literally and figuratively speaking."

Wyatt smirked. "I don't need to sit here and listen to your mind games-"

Emma sighed heavily, holstering her gun under her coat. "Fine. You're on your own. I don't care. Just don't get in my way and leave Perry alone."

"Why?" Lucy asked. "What are you planning?"

Emma tossed her arms up slightly in frustration. "Haven't you been listening to me? I'm trying to make sure history doesn't change here." She started to walk away. "And you're wasting my time."

Rufus held his hands out in front of him. "What can we do to help you?"

Both Wyatt and Emma looked at him. "What?!"

Rufus shifted in his place uncomfortably. "I mean, if our goal here is to make sure he goes on his expedition, why are we not helping one another?"

"Because she's the enemy?" Wyatt reminded him. "She can't be trusted."

"She's helped us before," Lucy retorted.

Wyatt ignored Lucy. "What if this is all part of her plan?"

"There's been a lot of 'what ifs' in this conversation," Flynn stated. "At some point, we need to work together if we want to overthrow Bloodstone."

Emma smirked, turning her gaze over to Flynn. "Are you this agreeable when your doctor friend is alive or has she changed that about you?"

Flynn glared at her, jaw tensing. He reminded himself to keep calm and not react. He knew the importance of keeping it close to his chest until the right moment. Emma knew his weakness at the moment but he refused to let her know it.

As the team stood before Emma, the sound of a gun firing echoed within the empty streets. Everyone turned toward Perry's house to see. Wyatt stated, "That's a modern gun."

The group rushed toward Perry's home. As they neared the front, two Bloodstone men barreled out of the house, firing shots behind them into the home. When one of them saw the time team, he opened fire on them, causing them to scatter for cover behind fences or barrels.

Emma, Wyatt, and Flynn removed their weapons and returned fire from behind their cover. One of the Bloodstone men took a bullet to the neck. He grabbed his wound before collapsing onto the ground.

His comrade took a shot to the back as he tried to run away from Perry. The team stood up cautiously, holstering their weapons before making their way toward the Admiral.

Perry held his weapon out before him, aiming at the approaching team. "Stay back," he warned. "Or I'll put one in you as well."

"We're not here to harm you," Emma said, stepping forward. Her hands were raised defensively. "I warned you about these men."

"These men?" he asked, pointing down to the two dead Suits. "They are collaborators to this expedition."

"Collaborators?" Rufus repeated. "This is how you treat your business partners?" His eyes were wide with shock.

Perry motioned to the team. "You warned me about them!"

Emma didn't turn to look at the four standing behind her. She shook her head. "No," she began. "I warned you about four strangers."

Perry glared at her. "What do you want?"

Emma took another step forward. "I already told you," she said. "I want this to succeed as much as you do."

Perry lowered his gun. "And your friends?"

Emma gritted her teeth. "They are not my friends," she paused. "However, they also want this to succeed."

Admiral Perry's face paled. "And why the interest in such an expedition? Why are so many keen on investing in this?"

Lucy's brow knitted together as she looked at the man. He had lost a lot of color in his skin. He had a sheen of sweat across his face. She asked, "Are you all right? You don't look so well."

Perry coughed before cringing. "One of those bastards got me."

Lucy glanced down the length of the man and spotted a darker spot on his shirt. She pushed by Wyatt and Flynn. "Oh my God! Here, let me help you."

Perry raised his gun once more, stopping Lucy in her tracks. "I don't trust you-"

"You'll die if you don't let us help," she warned him, hands raising to show that she was no threat.

The man's eyes darted around the group. "Very well. Come inside."

Lucy rushed forward, throwing his arm around her shoulders as she helped him into the house.

Emma looked down at the bodies in the front yard. She bent down and began to search them for anything useful.

Rufus stood in awe. "What are you doing?"

Emma didn't look up at him. "Seeing if they were stupid enough to bring something back with them." Once she was satisfied with her searching of the first body, she began rifling through the second one.

Rufus glanced around to see if anyone could see them.

Emma lifted her eyes to watch him. "Don't worry," she said, standing up. "No one is going to come here to see what happened. This sort of thing is a regular occurrence." She turned and headed for the house, Rufus following behind.

Inside, Lucy set to looking at the man's wound. She suddenly wished that Tenley were there. Her eyes started to fill with tears.

Flynn noticed her struggle and put his hand on her shoulder. When she glanced up to meet his gaze, he suggested, "Why don't you find some clean cloth and boil some water. I'll start on the wound."

She offered a small smile. "Okay."

Perry asked, "Are you a doctor?" Rufus choked on a laugh.

Wyatt shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. Wyatt asked, "Why are these men so invested in your expedition?"

"Why are you?" Perry asked.

Wyatt held the man's gaze, clearly annoyed and unimpressed. "We've been over this. Why are you dodging the question?"

Perry didn't blink. "You're not from around here. That much is evident in the way you speak, sir."

Rufus inhaled deeply, turning to glance outside. He noticed the empty streets in the evening light. There hadn't been another soul out there but when movement caught his attention, he focused on it.

Poking out from the corner of an alley was a man familiar to Rufus. He couldn't tear his gaze from the alley. He needed to make sure that who he thought he was seeing was truly real and not something conjured up from his mind.

The figure in the alleyway stepped out from the corner and held Rufus's stare. He blinked at the older version of Jiya. Her hair had grayed a bit, and Rufus could see some aging on her face and figure, but the rest of her was Jiya. He didn't blink as he stared at her. She motioned for him to come to her.

Rufus turned his gaze over his shoulder to the others. They were busy arguing with Admiral Perry over his expedition or helping him with his wound. He inched toward the door and slipped out unseen.

Rufus rushed toward the alley where he had seen Jiya. He entered the dark alley and carefully scanned the area as he walked deeper inside.

Near the back of the alley, he could see the Lifeboat. It didn't look like the one they had. This one had numerous upgrades and even a fresh layer of paint to it. He stared at the machine in awe.

"Rufus," a familiar voice spoke to him. He tore his eyes off of the machine to the older Jiya at the base of the machine. She smiled warmly at him. "You came."

Rufus blinked at her. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to warn you."

"Warn me? About what?"

"You need to go home," she said.

"What about Chandler?"

She chuckled at the reference before forcing herself to keep serious. "This is a distraction and you're wasting time."

Rufus shook his head. "Distraction? But Emma-"

"Rufus, listen to me," she interrupted. "Bloodstone is distracting both of you from what is really going on. The longer you remain here, the easier it is for them to destroy history."

"What are you talking about?"

"Have you read the journal Rufus..." she paused. Shaking her head, she started again, "The journal future you gave Agent Christopher?"

"Mason did," Rufus stated. "Why? What's in the journal?"

"I don't know everything inside," she admitted. "But...I do know that there are some things that you need to know. This being one of them."

"What about the other things?" he asked. "How do I know what I should know or not?"

Jiya sighed. "I wish I could sit here and tell you everything-"

"Future me said that you were going to die," he blurted out. "What happens to you? What happens to all of us?"

Jiya's face contorted in pain. "I...I can't tell you all of that."

"What can you tell me?" Rufus snapped. "You guys keep coming back to talk to us - to help us - and yet you never seem to leave us with any answers!"

"Listen," she said. "I don't have much time left. I can't tell you what happens to us or me-"

Rufus shook his head again. "What about Wyatt and Lucy? The last time Future them came back, they seemed to hate each other."

Jiya's shoulders slumped forward slightly. "They do, okay? They hate each other in the future - at least the future that I'm from."

"Why?" he asked. "They seemed so-"

"We don't have time for this," she said. "If they can't mend their relationship, then my future will remain true and that cannot happen! Do you understand me?" He nodded and she added, "You have to get back to your time, Rufus. Leave here as soon as you can. If you stay any longer, you risk..." She stopped speaking suddenly.

"Risk what?"

Beeping echoed from within the Lifeboat. "I'm sorry," she said. "I have to go."

"Hold on," he began.

"I'm sorry. I am. I wish I could explain things better to you but I know you'll find the answers," she said. She climbed into the Lifeboat.

Rufus watched the hatch close behind her. Within moments of the hatch closing, he felt the familiar blast of air blowing into his body as she disappeared.

"There you are!" Wyatt's voice spoke behind him. "Why'd you run off like that?"

Rufus whirled around to see Wyatt standing there. "How much did you see?"

"What are you talking about?" he asked. "See what? You've been standing in the alleyway by yourself."

Rufus shook his head as he approached Wyatt. "Jiya was just here."

"Jiya? How's that possible?"

"Future Jiya," Rufus corrected himself. "She came to warn us that this is a trap. We need to go home...now."

Wyatt studied his friend for a moment. "What about Ross?"

Rufus rolled his eyes. "That's David Schwimmer."

"Whatever," Wyatt spat, throwing his arms up in defeat.

"Have you ever watched Friends?"

"No, but that's not the point."

"I think I need to reevaluate our relationship-"

"Rufus!" Wyatt shouted at him. "Focus for a damned minute."

Rufus shook his head. "You're right...look, I'll explain everything later, but first, let's get everyone else and go home." He brushed by Wyatt and added, "Lucy's not going to like this."

Wyatt muttered, "Tough."

"Hey," Rufus started. "Be nice to her, okay? You two love each other."

Wyatt tilted his head slightly to the side. "Maybe we did once."

"You still do," he said. "Don't deny it because things are getting hairy."

Wyatt furrowed his brow. "What do you care anyway?"

Rufus stopped and whirled around. Wyatt had to stop suddenly before crashing into the man. "Because we're friends," Rufus stated. "Despite the stupid things you do and the fact that you've confused David Schwimmer and Matthew Perry which is borderline insane-"

"Rufus-"

"You're a good person, Wyatt," Rufus stated. "Don't screw up the one good thing you've got going on in your life because you're angry over...well...I don't exactly know why. Whatever it is, figure it out and stop screwing this up. Women like Lucy don't come around every day."

Rufus saw the look on Wyatt's face. He noticed that Wyatt had been looking over his shoulder. Rufus blinked. "She's standing behind me, isn't she?"

Wyatt hummed a response.

Turning around, Rufus spotted Flynn, Lucy, and Emma standing on the steps of the porch to Perry's house.

Emma glanced about the team before saying, "This is all very sweet and heartwarming, but can we get back to the task at hand here?"

Rufus said, "Actually, I think we'd better get going."

Emma's eyes narrowed at him. "What?"

"We've got a curfew?" Rufus added quickly.

"Curfew?" Wyatt repeated, glaring at his friend.

"I panicked," Rufus admitted.

Emma put her hands on her hips, one hand near her gun. "What's going on?"

Rufus and Wyatt exchanged glances before Rufus finally said, "This is a trap for all of us. We need to get out of here before it's too late."


	6. Somewhere In Between

Present Day

Agent Christopher and Jiya stood back as the Lifeboat returned with a clank. As the whirring stopped and the hatched opened, the team began to emerge.

"What happened?" Agent Christopher asked. She glanced at Rufus as he rushed by, leaving the main living area behind. She turned back to the others. "Is he-"

"On a mission," Wyatt explained, shaking his head. "Don't ask."

"No, I am asking," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "What's going on?"

Lucy opened her mouth to speak but Wyatt cut her off. "He claims that Future Jiya came to see him."

"What?" Jiya gasped. She glanced over her shoulder to the hallway Rufus had taken. She turned to track Rufus down.

Denise eyed Wyatt. "Did he say why?"

"To warn us that our presence in 1852 was a trap, apparently," Wyatt stated.

"You don't sound convinced," Agent Christopher pointed out.

Wyatt shrugged. "I guess I'm not."

"You didn't see her?"

Wyatt shook his head. "Just Rufus."

Agent Christopher took a moment before asking, "So, what happened?"

Lucy cleared her throat. "Well..."

Before Lucy could continue, Mason had joined the group, holding the journal that Future Rufus had given him tightly to his chest. Rufus was trying to pry it away from his hold. Agent Christopher turned to see the commotion. She asked, "What is going on?"

"Rufus came into my room searching for the journal," Mason explained, swatting Rufus's hands away from the book. "He insists that he needs to read it."

"Look," Rufus started. "Future Jiya told me that I had to read it! She said there were things in there that I needed to know!"

"I've read it and there wasn't much in there for you to know," Mason explained.

"Times have changed!" Rufus shouted. He ran a hand over his head. "Look, I know that we agreed that no one should read the journal, but..." he sighed heavily before continuing, "Don't you think it's strange that we got another visit from one of us from the future? And one of us in the here and now is missing?"

Agent Christopher thought about it for a moment. She understood his logic. She couldn't deny that his thinking was sound. She also knew the ramifications of knowing too much of what hasn't happened yet.

Rufus looked at her with pleading eyes. "Please...you have to let me do this..."

Denise glanced about the others. For the first time in quite a while, she felt unsure of what the correct answer was. She couldn't risk the potential insanity that could lead to the destruction of Rufus's mind. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, but it's too great of a risk."

Rufus scoffed. "Seriously? Don't you think it's strange that she came to warn us?!"

"Did she say anything-"

"She told us to get home as soon as possible!" Rufus interrupted.

Agent Christopher nodded. "I understand but did she say anything else? Like why you needed to leave?"

"Only that the longer we stayed, the more damage Bloodstone would accomplish," Rufus replied. "She implied that I needed to read the journal...said it was important."

Agent Christopher nodded slowly as she took in the information he gave her. "For now, no one is going to be reading the journal."  
"But-" Rufus started to interject.

Agent Christopher held her hand up to stop him. "Let's see what we can find out about Bloodstone's activity and then we can reassess the journal then."

Rufus shook his head, clearly frustrated. "What if there's something in there that can tell us what happened to Tenley or-or... or why Bloodstone is changing their tactics to distract us-"

"Rufus-"

"No!" he shouted. "Don't do that... Don't minimize the seriousness in all of this! Don't you understand? Any of you? Future Jiya came back to 1852 to warn us! Doesn't that bother any of you?"

Jiya raised her hand. "I have to admit, I wouldn't want to go back in time by myself unless I had to."

Rufus motioned over to Jiya. "My point."

Denise raised her hands to calm the growing tension. "All right. Let me think it over, okay? In the meantime, you need some rest. I suggest you try and get some sleep."

Rufus threw his hands up in frustration before turning on his heel and exiting the room. Jiya pointed in his direction and muttered, "Yeah, I gotta...yeah."

Wyatt let his arms fall to his sides. "Are we done here?" When Agent Christopher nodded, he walked away from the group.

Lucy shifted uncomfortably in her place. Her eyes were following Wyatt as he left. She wondered if she should follow him into their room or not. The way he had been treating her, she felt that she should give him as much distance as possible.

Lucy forced herself to walk out of the common living area and down the hallway. She stopped before the door to the room she shared with Wyatt. She rested her hand on the handle and paused.

Memories of past emotions regarding Wyatt and Jessica came rushing forward. Her hand fell from the handle of the door as she took a step backward. That sudden feeling of never being good enough overwhelmed her. She raised a hand to her mouth to stifle a sob.

Lucy turned and headed for the infirmary. When she crossed the threshold into the room, she half expected to be face-to-face with Tenley but instead of seeing the doctor, she was alone. Lucy's tears could no longer be contained. She slumped into the old couch that lined the wall nearest to the door and let the tears flow down her cheeks, almost like a broken dam.

Early the next morning, the alarms in the bunker sounded, startling everyone awake. Half-asleep, the residents of the bunker shuffled into the main living area.

Jiya rubbed her eye with the palm of her hand as she slumped in the chair by the console. She typed at a slower pace than her usual. "They're um...They've jumped to..." she stifled a yawn. "Sand Lake, New York. July 10, 1908."

Flynn studied Lucy for a moment as she thought. He could see her swollen red eyes which told him that she had been crying hard for a while. The heavy bags under her sad eyes told him that she hadn't slept either.

He glanced over to Wyatt. Wyatt's body language remained rigid, arms crossed over his chest as he watched Lucy, waiting for an answer.

Lucy blinked a couple of times as she thought over the date. She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry but...I don't know..."

Rufus rubbed his eyes. "I guess we get dressed and head out." He turned and shuffled back to his room. Wyatt followed behind with Lucy and Flynn bringing up the rear.

It didn't take long before the team climbed into the Lifeboat and left for the past.

1908

Rufus had landed the Lifeboat in the middle of the woods, far away from the small town of Sand Lake. The team hiked back to the town. Securing clothes was simple given the summer heat to dry the freshly laundered clothes on the line.

"So, what do you make of this town?" Rufus asked, trying to beat Wyatt to the question. After Wyatt's abruptness last time, Rufus had tried to become a buffer between the two until things calmed down.

Lucy's eyes drifted around the town. She shook her head. "I honestly have no idea. Maybe if we head into town-"

"Let's get moving then," Wyatt interrupted, pushing passed as he began walking once more.

Rufus shook his head before looking at Lucy. He offered a small smile but she didn't return it.

As they entered the small town, the townsfolk had been staring at them. Rufus muttered, "They're staring."

Lucy whispered, "That's small-town life for you. They know we're not from here, so they're curious."

"That also means they should be aware if there are any other newcomers," Wyatt pointed out. "Like Rittenhouse or Bloodstone."

"Exactly," Lucy agreed. She tried to keep the peace with Wyatt in hopes that it would help mend their relationship. Wyatt didn't blink at her agreeing to his words.

Wyatt pointed across the street. "I think we should split up and ask around. I'll head to the bar."

"I'll go with you," Flynn offered.

Wyatt turned to face him. "No, you should go with Lucy. Rufus can come with me."

Lucy opened her mouth to speak but Flynn interjected, "I think we should go together. Rufus and Lucy can head to the General Store."

Wyatt gritted his teeth, turning on his heel as he headed for the bar.

Lucy and Rufus stood in place watching the two men walk away. Rufus asked, "What the hell was that all about?"

Lucy shrugged. "I have no idea." The two exchanged confused glances before heading into the General Store.

The bell on the back of the door rang as the two entered the store. The few people inside glanced at them as they walked inside. The older man behind the counter stood up straighter, brushing the wrinkles off of his white apron. "Hello."

Lucy smiled politely as she neared the counter. "Hello."

"How may I assist you today?" he asked, placing his hands onto the counter.

"Oh, I'm not sure," she began. "We just arrived in town and were looking for a place to stay."

The man nodded, smiling. "Of course. There's a lovely inn just up the road." He pointed in the general direction of the inn. "You can't miss it. They've got a new hanging sign just off the road."

The bell rang behind them, alerting everyone inside of the newcomer. All eyes shifted over to see who had joined them.

A beautiful young woman closed the door quickly as she rushed toward the counter. Her blonde curls were bound behind her head. Her bright blue eyes were wide with hope as she rushed for the counter. "Mr. Craddock, please tell me that my dress came in!"

"I'm with a customer, Hazel," the man behind the counter told her, a silent lecture on his face.

"Oh, please," Lucy said with a smile. "We're not in any hurry."

"Thank you," Mr. Craddock said as he turned to face Hazel. "I'm not sure if it has come back-"

Hazel's face fell. "Please check? It's important."

"Everything is important with you," he joked, a smile on his lips. He turned and walked around the counter. "I'll check but Hazel, I don't want you to be too disappointed-"

"I need this dress for the dance," she whined. "I don't have anything else to wear if it's not here!"

Rufus whispered, "What's up with Cinderella?"

Lucy studied the girl for a moment. She shook her head, drawing a blank.

In another brief moment, Mr. Craddock had returned with a small bundle wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. "You're in luck, Hazel. It had arrived this morning."

She snatched the bundle from his arms, smile plastered on her ruby lips. "Oh, thank you! I can't wait to try it on!"

"You'll be the most handsome woman there," he said, the smile remaining on his face. Hazel blew him a kiss before leaving the shop in a hurry. He turned his attention back to Lucy and Rufus. "Forgive me for that interruption."

"That's all right," Lucy replied, still smiling politely. "She seems quite excited about the dance."

Mr. Craddock nodded. "That she is, every year." He returned to his place behind the counter. "Now then, where were we?"

Across the street, Wyatt and Flynn had entered the bar. The dimly lit building created an unease atmosphere. Wyatt noticed there were two men passed out drunk in the corner tables. The barkeep had been eyeing them since they entered but continued to wipe down the bar top.

Wyatt approached the bar. He nodded a brief nod of acknowledgment. Flynn followed behind, sitting next to Wyatt.

"What's your poison?" the barkeep asked.

Wyatt drummed his fingers against the bar top. "I was hoping you could answer a couple of questions-"

"If you're going to sit, you've got to order something," the man stated.

Flynn saw the flash of annoyance wash over Wyatt's face. Turning his gaze over to the barkeep, Flynn said, "Two whiskeys, please."

The man nodded and pulled two shot glasses out from under the bar, setting them onto the tabletop. Within seconds, the man had poured the whiskey into each glass. Flynn tossed money onto the counter.

"What do you want to know?" the man asked, giving Wyatt his full attention.

"Have you noticed anyone out of the ordinary around here?"

"Like you and your friend here?" the barkeep asked, glancing between the two.

Flynn said, "We're lawmen from the city. We've got a reason to believe that one of our prisoners made their way out this direction."

"You lost prisoners?" the barkeep asked, eyes widening.

Flynn gave a half-shrug. "It happens but this particular one is quite dangerous. Any information you have could be quite detrimental to our cause."

Wyatt blinked at Flynn. He inhaled deeply before reaching for the whiskey before him.

The barkeep nodded. "Now that I think about it, there were some men that showed up about five days ago."

"Five days ago?" Wyatt repeated, setting his full cup back onto the counter. "What have they been doing?"

The man shrugged. "No one knows but they come into town every evening."

Flynn asked, "Have they shown up today?"

The man shook his head. "Not yet."

Flynn noticed the man appeared to still have something on his mind. He asked, "What else are you not telling us?"

The man's eyes widened. "Wha-"

"We're lawmen, remember?" Flynn replied. "It's our job to know when someone is holding something back." Wyatt held the man's gaze with a stern expression.

The barkeep said, "The only other thing that seemed strange around here and probably isn't anything worth mentioning-"

"Sometimes it's the things you don't think matter that does," Wyatt stated. Flynn felt the truth behind the words for Wyatt.

The man sighed. "Miss Drew quit her job unexpectedly around the same time as those men showed up. It might just be a coincidence but... maybe they had something to do with that."

"Who is Miss Drew?" Wyatt questioned.

"She's-" the man started to speak but the door to the bar opened and he stopped talking.

Flynn and Wyatt glanced over their shoulders to see who came inside. More locals had started filtering into the bar. The barkeep excused himself as he started helping his regulars.

Wyatt leaned closer to Flynn. "Bloodstone?"

Flynn nodded. "Sounds like it."

Wyatt grabbed the drink once more before tossing it back. The burn of the alcohol engulfed his throat before it warmed his belly. He hissed before placing the glass back onto the counter.

Flynn fiddled with his glass before asking, "Want to tell me what's on your mind?"

Wyatt smirked. "With you? No."

"You need to talk to someone, Wyatt."

"No, I don't."

"You're pushing away those closest to you," Flynn told him. "If this continues, you're going to regret this for the rest of your life."

"Right," Wyatt scoffed. "Because you're such an expert on the matter."

Flynn's face darkened. "It's not just your life that you're making miserable." Wyatt turned his angry blue eyes over to meet Flynn's. "You're slowly destroying Lucy's spirit and I'm going to take a gander and say that you're the reason Tenley's disappeared."

Wyatt shook his head, irritated look plastered on his face. "So, I'm the bad guy?"

"I think whatever you're dealing with," Flynn started. "It is more than you can handle by yourself and it scares you."

"I didn't make her disappear," Wyatt retorted.

Flynn blinked at him, unconvinced. He stood up slowly from the bar and started his way out. Wyatt sighed heavily before reaching for Flynn's full glass of whiskey. He tossed it back, hissing from the burn once more, and placed the glass back down. He followed Flynn outside.

Outside, Flynn and Wyatt spotted Lucy and Rufus crossing the street. They rejoined them and walked to a secluded area to discuss what they had learned.

"So, they've been here for five days?" Rufus repeated.

"We need to find out who Miss Drew is and see what happened to her five days ago," Wyatt stated.

Lucy's brow furrowed together as she watched him. She could smell the alcohol on his breath but chose not to say anything. "Any ideas who she is?"

Rufus nudged Lucy. "What about Cinderella? She seemed odd."

"She's a teenager eager to win the affections of admirers," Lucy replied. "Of course she's odd."

"It's the only lead we have," Rufus stated. "We could go to the dance and see if we can ask her...she might even know who we're looking for."

Flynn nodded, eyes lifting to scan the street. The hour was growing late. "We better hurry then."

Rufus added as they started down the lane, "Maybe we'll get to see her turn into a pumpkin." Lucy groaned at his joke.


	7. Find The Princess

Finding the location for the dance had been an easy endeavor as the town plastered homemade signs all over the place. From the outside, the time team could hear the live music playing within the elegant building that Lucy had determined to be City Hall.

"What's the plan here?" Wyatt asked. "We can't exactly go in there and pretend we're a bunch of teenagers."

"Well, maybe you can't," Rufus said. "Some of us haven't gone gray yet."

Wyatt shot him an annoyed look. Flynn suggested, "Why don't Rufus and Lucy head inside. We can scout around the street."

"And what happens when they run into Bloodstone?" Wyatt asked. "It's not like either one of them is armed."

"I'll go with Flynn," Rufus offered. "Problem solved." Rufus started down the lane, eager to end the fighting that seemed to never stop.

Lucy watched as Flynn gave her a small apologetic smile before following Rufus. Wyatt reached out to grab her arm but she pulled away from him. She turned and entered City Hall. Wyatt sighed, following her in.

Walking down the lane, Rufus asked, "What was all of that about?"

"I've been trying to talk some sense into Wyatt," Flynn told him.

Rufus's face contorted in confusion. "You're giving him advice?" Flynn hummed a response and Rufus asked, "Has it worked yet?"

"No."

"Didn't think so," Rufus admitted. "That boy's got a thick skull."

Flynn sighed. "I think he's the reason why Tenley disappeared."

Rufus flinched as if the words had slapped him. "What? Is that even possible?"

"Think about it for a moment," he said. "She's from the future...the child of Lucy and Wyatt."

"But they're having a rough patch," Rufus stated. "It's not like they hate each other."

"Are you so sure about that?"

"They love each other."

"Then why did Tenley disappear?" Flynn asked. "And if this was a simple fix, why haven't they made up?"

"Some things take time," Rufus suggested. Flynn sighed. He wasn't convinced and Rufus knew it.

The two walked down the lane, scanning the dark corners of the street searching for signs of Bloodstone or even Rittenhouse. After they walked the length of the main street, Rufus tossed his hands out to his sides in frustration. "Why is it every time we're looking for the crazy evil cultists, they're nowhere to be found?"

"Maybe you're not looking hard enough."

"Maybe you're not look-" Rufus started to repeat. He whirled around to face Flynn. "Wha-"

When Rufus turned around, he saw Flynn's gaze locked onto something further up the road leading out of town towards the dark woods. Upon turning to investigate, he didn't see anything except a couple of kids walking along the lane.

"What are you looking at?" Rufus asked.

"Those kids aren't going to the dance," Flynn pointed out.

"So?"

Flynn inhaled deeply. "We should check it out."

"You mean you actually want to go into the dark spooky woods at night?" Rufus asked. Flynn shook his head as he brushed by Rufus. Rufus followed him asking, "Haven't you ever seen a horror movie?"

Back at City Hall, the dance was in full swing. Wyatt leaned closer to Lucy. "What's the plan here? Ask everyone where Miss Drew is?"

Lucy shrugged. It sounded like a good idea in her head but something told her not to admit that to Wyatt. There was something in his voice that alerted her to the borderline frustration that still lingered.

Wyatt gave a curt nod before turning his gaze back to the crowd. "Great."

Lucy grabbed his hand and pulled gently forward toward the dance floor. "Dance with me."

Despite not wanting to, Wyatt followed her onto the dance floor. Lucy wrapped her forearms around his neck as he placed his hands on her hips. The two slowly swayed to the serene music the live band played. Glancing about with their eyes, they studied those around them.

Lucy leaned closer to Wyatt, closing her eyes briefly to soak in the moment. She missed this closeness with him. She had tried to apologize but he seemed too stubborn to accept it. She wasn't the kind of person to continue to force herself onto someone. If she were to be in a relationship, it had to be mutual.

Wyatt noticed her leaning closer and didn't stop her. If anything, he encouraged it. He turned his head slightly into her neck, inhaling deeply. Her scent was familiar and comforting. He had missed it and his soul craved more.

As they danced, Wyatt asked, "Do you see your Cinderella anywhere?"

Lucy's eyes darted about. She could see a lot of pretty girls but none of them were nearly as beautiful as the blonde she had seen at the General Store. She shook her head. "No."

"Are you sure she was coming here tonight?"

"The man at the General Store said she was," Lucy replied. "She seemed to be excited about it when she picked up her dress..."

Wyatt stopped them and grasped her hand. "Then let's ask around." He pulled her off the dance floor and toward the refreshment table.

The elderly woman running the table had poured them some punch in delicate crystal cups. She passed them over to them.

Lucy smiled as she took the cup. "Thank you."

"It's so lovely to see outsiders join in the festivities," the old woman said with a smile. "How long have you two been together?"

Wyatt smiled as he glanced over to Lucy. "A couple of years now." Lucy returned the smile.

"Young love is a beautiful thing," the old woman sighed.

Lucy cleared her throat. "Speaking of beautiful," she said, placing her cup onto the table. "I was at the General Store earlier this morning and was hoping to find Hazel?"

"Hazel Drew?" the old woman asked. "She's not in any kind of trouble, is she?"

"No, no trouble-" Lucy started to say.

Wyatt interrupted, "Drew? Did you say, Drew?"

The woman nodded. "Miss Drew..." the woman trailed off. "She was here earlier..."

"When did she leave?" Lucy asked.

At the same time, Wyatt asked, "Where did she go?"

The old woman glanced between the two. "She left with her boyfriend maybe twenty minutes ago?"

Wyatt sighed heavily. Lucy asked, "Please, it's important...do you know where they might have gone to?"

"You might want to try the lake," she replied. "It's about fifteen miles from town. The kids like to play in the lake."

Wyatt nodded his thanks, tugging Lucy away from the refreshment table as quickly as he could. Once they were outside City Hall, he turned to her and said, "We just wasted time. Who knows where she is now."

"So we make our way to the lake," she told him. "And hope Flynn and Rufus found something."

The two began making their way down the lane toward the lake.

"Rufus!" Flynn hissed in the dark. "What are you doing?"

"I can't see a thing," Rufus complained. "I think I lost my shoe..."

"You think?"

"I'm fairly certain that I did."

"What?" Flynn scoffed. He wasn't sure he understood how that was even possible.

Rufus hobbled up to Flynn. "My foot got stuck in the mud...I've definitely lost my shoe."

Flynn gritted his teeth, turning his attention away from the one-shoed Rufus. "We're going to lose them if we don't hurry up."

"Easy for you," Rufus complained. "You're not turning into Sam Winchester."

The two carefully navigated through the dark woods. Beyond the sounds of deafening cicadas, they could hear the faint sound of people talking up ahead.

Sneaking stealthily toward the nearest cluster of trees, the two peered around the trunks to see who they had found.

Standing on the edge of the lake were the two individuals they had followed. One was a beautiful young girl and the other was a man dressed in a simple suit.

Rufus whispered, "That's Cinderella."

Flynn blinked at the comment. He shook his head but kept his eyes fixed on the pair. He couldn't make out what was being said over the demanding bugs of the night.

The pair stood close to one another as they stared out across the lake. The moon reflected off the surface, creating a beautiful glow. The lightning bugs added to the surreal effect that lingered.

Rufus patted Flynn on the shoulder before pointing down the road. "Looks like someone's coming." They stared down the lane, watching three silhouetted figures approaching. Rufus muttered, "Three...that's not good."

"Might be Bloodstone," Flynn admitted.

"Where's the fourth?"

Flynn's eyes darted back to the couple by the lake. They had no idea that they had company approaching. He glanced back and forth as the three neared the couple. He reached into his coat, grasping the gun in preparation.

The three stopped a few feet from the couple. When the two turned around, the young woman's eyes widened. She shook her head. "No! I did everything that you asked!"

Rufus tried to hear what the three were saying but couldn't make it out. "What's going on?" Flynn shook his head, straining his ability to hear as he inched closer.

The closer Flynn got, the easier it had become to hear. The man in the front of the three calmly said, "You quit your job, yes, but you did it too early."

"What do you mean?" she asked. "I didn't say anything, I swear!"

The man next to her placed his hand on her shoulder. "Tell them the truth."

"I am!" she shouted.

"He told us differently," the lead man said, motioning to the man next to her.

She whirled around to face him. "What? You're with them?"

"I'm sorry," he tried to say. "I was going to tell you-"

The leader shook his head. "I'm sorry, Hazel. You failed."

She took a step back, slipping on the muddy bank of the lake. Her heels sunk deep in muck and mire. "Wait!"

The suit on the left of the leader stepped up to her, holding a bat.

Rufus glanced over to Flynn. "What are you waiting for?"

Flynn's heart stopped as he saw the terrified look on the girl's face. Memories of Tenley strapped to a chair before disappearing flashed before his eyes. He shook his head, trying to stay focused.

As the man with the bat neared the girl, Flynn realized he had to act fast. He pushed himself out of the darkened forest, gun drawn and aimed at the men before him. He knew that he couldn't hesitate as he pulled the trigger.

The first shot hit the man with the bat, bringing him down. The others were startled and turned to react, reaching for their guns. Flynn turned his aim quickly to them, firing true, bringing them down as easily as he had with the first.

The young man next to the woman raised his hands defensively. "I didn't know they were going to kill her!"

Flynn's grip tightened. His jaw tensed and his eyes narrowed at the boy. He didn't believe him. He sighed, silently praying for forgiveness as he pulled the trigger anyway. The bullet found its mark on the boy's forehead.

The boy's body fell backward into the lake, floating slightly toward the center of the lake.

Flynn lowered his gun, assessing the situation. The girl was sobbing as she struggled to get her heels unstuck. Rufus came out of the woods and asked, "Where did you learn how to do that? The OK Corral?"

Flynn held back a snarky response. He holstered his gun, motioning that he wasn't going to hurt the girl. "Are you all right?"

"What happened? Who are you? Who are they?" she asked between sobs.

"We're the good guys," Rufus explained, extending a hand out to her. "What did they want with you?"

She wiped the tears from her face. "I don't know..."

Rufus helped her out of the mud and back onto solid ground. "You can trust us, you know."

Sounds of rapid footsteps echoed behind them. As they glanced over their shoulders, they spotted Wyatt and Lucy. Wyatt's gun was drawn. His blue eyes darted over those standing before noticing those on the ground. He titled his head to the side. "We heard the shots...what happened?"

The girl met Lucy's gaze. "You're from the General Store," she recalled. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," Lucy said. "Are you all right?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" she cried.

Rufus muttered, "Probably because you don't look like you are?"

"Why don't you start by telling us why you quit your job suddenly?" Flynn suggested. "Start at the beginning."

The girl sighed heavily. "Five, maybe six days ago, they came to town," she began. "I was working at the seamstress's that day. When they came into the shop, they asked me if I wanted to be famous. I asked what I had to do and the first step was to quit my job with no explanation."

She shifted uncomfortably but continued, "So I quit. They told me that I'd be able to attend the dance with my..." She choked on her sobs as she glanced back across the moonlit lake. "Boyfriend..."

"How long was your boyfriend in town for?" Wyatt asked.

Hazel turned back to Wyatt. "What do you mean?"

"Did he recently move here?"

She shook her head. "No, he grew up here, just like me." The team exchanged worried glances. The exchange didn't go unnoticed by Hazel. "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Lucy lied. "Please, continue."

Hazel swallowed before saying, "My boyfriend was supportive of my decision to leave town. He said he had a surprise for me tonight and brought me to our favorite spot..." she motioned vaguely around her. "Guess it's no longer a special place..."

"Did he say why he wanted to bring you out here?" Wyatt questioned. "I mean, you're far from town-"

"Fifteen miles," she said, with a nod. "I know how far out of town we are." After a moment, she added, "I thought he was going to propose to me..."

Flynn watched her for a moment. His eyes narrowed as he studied her body language. He asked, "What aren't you telling us?"

Her blue eyes widened. "I'm telling you everything!"

"I think you're holding something back," he stated. "You don't have to worry anymore. They're dead. You're safe."

Her eyes darted around the group. "I swear-"

"Think hard over their time here," Wyatt said. "Any small detail could be helpful."

It was written on the girl's face. She was uncomfortable. She didn't want to keep talking about it. She looked almost pained to think about having to tell these strangers - strangers who saved her life - everything.

Eventually, her shoulders fell forward. She looked defeated. She wiped the last of the tears from her face. "I...I saw them murder a man."

"When was this?" Wyatt questioned.

Hazel sighed. "Shortly after they offered me the lead role in their production."

Lucy's brow furrowed. "What production was this?"

The girl turned her attention to Lucy. "A silent film called 'Twin Peaks'."

Lucy blinked a couple of times. The team could see the light bulb had finally gone off inside her head. Wyatt knew that they wouldn't be told the significance of her realization until Hazel was well out of hearing range.

Wyatt turned back to Hazel and asked, "Who did they murder?"

She shook her head. "The mayor, I think."

"You think?"

"It happened so fast," she stammered. "I don't know if it was him or someone else."

Wyatt asked, "Has anyone seen him since?"

She shrugged. "I don't know...I was so preoccupied with the dance and-"

"You mean you still wanted to go with them to make their movie after you saw them murder your mayor?" Rufus asked, face contorted in confusion.

She threw her hands out to her sides. "Wouldn't you? If someone had a way out of the small town you felt trapped in, wouldn't you do whatever it took to leave?"

Rufus realized that he had been in her shoes before. He had been desperate to change his life once and felt like doing anything he could to better his life, but murder? Even he had lines he refused to cross.

She shook her head. "I never meant for anyone to get hurt..."

Flynn's gaze had softened. He glanced over his shoulder. No one else was nearing the lake. They were alone. He turned back to the girl. "Where did this murder take place?"

"In the back alley of the shops," she told him.

He nodded. "Then we need to go there and take a look around."

Lucy approached the girl. "We'll escort you home." Hazel nodded as she walked with Lucy.

Wyatt turned to Rufus, eyes drifting down to his feet. "Where's your shoe?"

Rufus hobbled down the lane, next to Wyatt. He mumbled, "The giant mud puddle in the middle of the dark creepy forest demanded a sacrifice. I felt obligated to give it one."

Wyatt chuckled as they headed back to town.


	8. Vanished Voices

By the time the group returned to town, the dance had ended and everyone had gone home. The team kept their word and escorted Hazel to her home safely before heading to the back alleys where she claimed to have witnessed a murder.

"What are we looking for?" Rufus asked as he watched where he was putting his shoeless foot.

"Anything that might help us understand why Bloodstone came here," Wyatt explained. "Keep your eyes open."

"You keep your eyes open," Rufus muttered. "I'm trying not to get tetanus."

Flynn examined the ground. He couldn't find any evidence in that alley. He knew if a man had been recently murdered, there'd be evidence to support the claim. He lifted his head and looked around the darkened alley. He shook his head aimlessly. He felt like he was missing something.

Wyatt ran a hand through his hair. "There's nothing here."

"Uh, guys?" Rufus spoke from the back of the group.

Flynn stood up. "This is where she claimed the murder took place."

"Claimed," Wyatt repeated. "Keyword there, Sherlock. I don't think it happened."

"Guys?" Rufus tried again.

"Look, if you have a better idea," Flynn started. "Then by all means-"

"Guys!" Rufus snapped. Once they had turned to look at him, he pointed to his feet. "There is something here."

The others circled around, staring at the ground by Rufus's feet. There were crude looking markings drawn in red chalk. Rufus watched as their wheels spun in place inside their heads as they tried to make sense of what they were looking at.

Rufus shook his head. "Seriously? You guys need to watch more Sci-Fi..." He cleared his throat. "That's Klingon."

"Why is there Klingon written on the ground here?" Wyatt asked.

Rufus gave him the 'I can't believe you right now' look. "It's a message," he said. "From Jiya."

"Jiya?"

"Future Jiya, to be exact," Rufus explained. He pointed to the chalked message and translated it. "It basically says that this is a distraction."

"What?" Wyatt scoffed. "Another one?"

Lucy asked, "Does it say anything else?"

Rufus shook his head. "Distraction. Future Jiya...That's literally all it says."

Flynn's jaw clenched as he lifted his eyes to scan the area. He didn't see anyone out and about.

Rufus said, "We need to go home."

"This is getting to be ridiculous," Wyatt complained. "How many more times are Bloodstone and Rittenhouse going to distract us?"

"I'd be more concerned with why," Flynn stated. "They have a plan of action and we're falling behind."

Lucy sighed. "Let's go home. Maybe we can figure out why they brought us here."

As they began to leave, Wyatt asked, "So, who's Hazel Drew?"

"She was the inspiration behind Twin Peaks," Lucy explained. "The girl in the show that was murdered...that was based on her murder."

"Who did it?" Wyatt asked. Lucy turned to look at him with a disbelieving look. He added, "I've never seen the show."

She shook her head. "It's unsolved to this day...well," she tilted her head side to side. "To our present day, that is...or was..." She waved the confusion aside. "No one knows who did it. That's why it was the inspiration for the show."

Wyatt blinked at her. "You're telling me that Bloodstone traveled back in time to murder this girl for a show?"

Rufus muttered, "They've done stranger things."

"As long as they don't have a Demogorgon," Flynn replied.

Rufus's head snapped up at attention. "You've watched Stranger Things?"

"Who hasn't?" Flynn asked.

Rufus stared at him as they walked. "You continually surprise me."

"I think El is the best part."  
"And then you say creepy stuff like that and I'm reminded of who you are," Rufus added.

Present Day

The team exited the Lifeboat and were face to face with Agent Christopher. "What happened?"

Rufus turned to Jiya. "I am so glad you forced me to learn Klingon."

Jiya looked confused and stunned. "Uh, you're welcome?"

"I don't understand," Denise started. "What does Klingon have to do with the mission?"

"There was no mission," Rufus started.

"Well, not really," Lucy chimed in.

Rufus nodded. "Not really, you're right."

"Focus, please?" Agent Christopher said loudly.

Rufus blew a short breath out. "Yes. Sorry."

"What happened?" she asked again.

The team filled in those who stayed in the bunker of what took place. When they reached the part with Jiya's warning in the alley, Jiya asked, "So, Future Me is leaving you clues, now?"

"I guess so," Rufus admitted.

"How do we know that it's Jiya?" Agent Christopher asked.

Jiya smirked. "I'm not sure that Rittenhouse nor Bloodstone are fluent in the language."

Agent Christopher shook her head. "So, Bloodstone didn't want Hazel Drew to live?"

"I have no idea," Lucy stated. "In our original timeline, she died and her death was a mystery. There wasn't anything of great importance that she did before her death." After a pause, she glanced between Agent Christopher and Jiya. "Unless she's important now?"

The two shrugged. "Never heard of her."

Lucy nodded. "Okay...so she was just a near casualty with Bloodstone."

"What about the mayor?" Denise asked.

Flynn shook his head. "Couldn't find any evidence to support the girl's claim that anyone was murdered back there."

"Did you investigate it further?" Denise asked.

Wyatt shook his head. "We thought that we should listen to Jiya's warning."

The look on Denise's face told the team that she was torn about how to handle their decision to leave before following through. Eventually, she nodded. "Okay... get cleaned up and rested."

The team dispersed from the main living area. Lucy headed into the infirmary. She closed the door behind her and approached the cabinet that held Tenley's laptop. It was locked.

Sighing out of frustration, Lucy started to glance around, thinking of where Tenley would have hidden the key.

A voice cleared by the door. Whirling around, Lucy's wide eyes landed on Flynn. He studied her for a moment before asking, "What are you doing?"

Lucy shifted in place, trying to hide her guilt. Finally, she held his stare and said, "I wanted to use Tenley's laptop."

"What's stopping you?"

"It's locked up," she said, tapping the cabinet.

Flynn smirked as he approached. He reached up to the top of the cabinet and pulled the key off the top. He handed it to Lucy. "Her password is 'Smeagol'."

Lucy chuckled. "Really?"

Flynn grinned. "She's your kid." Lucy's smile faltered. Realizing he shouldn't have said that, he quickly added, "I'm sorry." Lucy nodded, willing the tears away. She offered a small smile before she watched him leave.

Once she was alone again, she used the key to open the cabinet and remove the laptop. She opened it, pressing the power button. She didn't have to wait long for it to boot up. She logged in with the password given to her and the main screen was available.

Lucy opened up the internet and began searching for information on Hazel Drew and the town of Sand Lake. There had been no mention of Hazel in any of the information available. There wasn't even the briefest mention of the mayor's murder - if it happened at all. The only information she had available to her was the basic town statistics.

Lucy shook her head as she thought. She cleared the search and decided to try a different approach. She brought up an ancestry site and searched for Hazel Drew.

She was surprised to see there were no birth or death records for Hazel. She furrowed her brow and brought up the historical society for Sand Lake and searched there. Nothing. Finally, she searched for Twin Peaks. Nothing came up. She scoffed as she leaned back in her chair. Something was very wrong.

Twisting her lips in thought, Lucy decided to try one more time. She sat up, typing into the search field. Unsolved murders, Sand Lake.

The screen loaded and Lucy blinked at the information that popped up. She read the articles regarding the four men murdered at the lake, one of whom was the young man that dated Hazel - but there was no mention of his name, let alone Hazel's.

Along with these articles, Lucy had spotted an article regarding the mayor's murder. He had disappeared without a trace and no one - his wife and children included - had any idea where he had gone.

Both of these stories had remained unsolved. Lucy rubbed her temple as she thought for a moment. She shook her head, deciding to wait on sharing this information with the others. They were happy to have a win for once and she knew they needed that boost for now.

She stood up and returned the powered down laptop back to the cabinet. She sighed, turning around to take in the room. It felt lonely without Tenley.

Forcing herself to leave, Lucy headed to the bathroom to clean up. The moment she reached the door, the bunker alarms blared throughout the area. She sighed, head dropping to her chest in defeat. "Okay," she muttered, turning on her heel and heading back to the main area.

When she arrived, the rest of the team were already gathered. Agent Christopher spotted her and stated, "June 28, 1868, just outside Gettysburg... I think we all know when this is but do we have an idea as to the why?"

Rufus shook his head. "I'd rather not go back-"

Lucy shrugged. "There's a lot of things they could be there to change. This is the biggest battle in all of the civil war. This is the battle that changes the course of history-"

"Is there a way to find out where the Mothership landed, exactly?" Wyatt asked. "Like which side of the divide?"

Jiya typed on her keyboard. "Uh, it looks like..."

Lucy leaned over her shoulder to sneak a peek. "It looks like they've landed closer to the Confederate side."

Rufus raised his hand. "I'd like to formally request to sit this one out?"

Agent Christopher pinched the bridge of her nose. She understood why Rufus didn't want to go. If she could avoid sending them to this moment in history, she would.

Lucy's brain thought over the date. She drummed her fingers on her lips before the light bulb went on inside her mind. "If I remember correctly, this is the day that General Longstreet is told by his scout just how heavy the Union forces are upon their approach."

"So?" Wyatt asked. "The Union wins at Gettysburg-"

"What if that's why Rittenhouse went back?" Lucy countered.

Wyatt stared at her. "How would they manage to do that? Modern warfare?"

Lucy shook her head. "I don't know...

"Well, you're going to have to figure it out when you get there," Denise said. "Please be careful...I can't stress that enough."

Jiya offered a sympathetic glance to Rufus as he reluctantly climbed back into the Lifeboat. She watched as the rest of the team followed him inside and the hatched closed.

The whirring of the machine echoed within the room and the wave of air blew around those who remained behind as the team left.

1868

Hiding the Lifeboat took some creative thinking. Lucy had finally remembered a spot that had been overlooked by both armies during the war. The team carefully made their way to a small plantation to 'borrow' some clothes.

"What if we're stopped and asked why we're not in the army?" Rufus asked, adjusting his ill-fitting clothes.

Lucy shook her head. "At this point, the war has been going on for a while. If you're not already in the army, they're not going to ask."

Rufus tilted his head, showing his disbelief. "We're never that lucky."

Wyatt glanced about the farm fields. "So, what's the plan here? Hope we find out what Rittenhouse or Bloodstone is doing here?"

Flynn scratched the back of his neck. "It could be that we meet up with the nearest army-"

"Which side?" Rufus asked. "Please let it be the North..."

Lucy twisted her lips as she thought. "Jiya said the Mothership landed closer to the Confederate side, right?" The others nodded to confirm her memory. She continued, "Then we should consider heading to the Union side to counter anything they might do."

"What if Bloodstone is here to kidnap someone from history again?" Rufus countered.

Wyatt glanced over at him. "Boy, you're full of sunshine today."

"I'm just playing devil's advocate," he retorted. "It's never easy for us."

Flynn motioned to Lucy. "We should follow her lead on this one-"

"But-" Rufus tried to say.

Flynn held his hand up to stop him from continuing. "If Bloodstone takes someone from history, we'll figure it out after the fact like we always do."

"And if this is Rittenhouse?" Wyatt questioned, arms crossed over his chest.

"Then history is about to change," Flynn replied. "It's what they do."

The group exchanged glances, nodding. "All right," Wyatt stated. "Where do we go?"

Lucy sighed as she thought. "We should be close to Major General Meade's unit. We should start there."

Once she got her bearings, Lucy began walking in that direction. As the others followed her down the dirt road, Wyatt said, "Into the fire we go."


	9. Decisive Battle

The team followed the road away from the farm and toward Gettysburg. The sun shone brightly overhead as they walked - not a cloud in the sky. The wind blew gently over the grassy hills, creating a water-like effect throughout.

"Hard to believe that in a few days, this whole area is going to be littered with the dead," Wyatt stated.

"Unless Rittenhouse changes that," Rufus muttered.

Wyatt glanced out of the corner of his eye at Rufus. "What is with you today?"

"If you haven't noticed," Rufus began. "We're in the worst time of history for my people."

"Actually-" Lucy started.

Rufus shot her a look. "The worst." He turned his attention back to the fields. "I just want to figure out what's happening here so we can go home quickly."

"We've been in worse places," Wyatt replied.

Rufus's face contorted in disbelief. "Right... sure. I keep forgetting that history sucks only for someone like me."

"Hey now," Wyatt started, turning to face his friend. "You were getting on me for being grumpy-"

Rufus scoffed, tossing his hands out to the side, "You're seriously going to compare what I'm going through with the grudge you're holding against Lucy?"

Lucy cleared her throat, trying to subtly break up the fight. Rufus shook his head as he turned to her. "No, he needs to hear this-"

"Hear what?" Wyatt snapped back.

Flynn raised his hands, trying to keep the peace. "This is not the place for this-"

"He's been licking whatever wound Lucy gave him over leaving Tenley-"

"You're going to want to stop talking," Wyatt tried to interrupt.

Rufus shook his head. "Man, just admit you were wrong-"

"Enough!" Flynn hissed.

The guys were so focused on each other, they hadn't noticed that Lucy had stopped walking. They bumped into her. Glancing up at her then following her line of sight, they spotted a scouting party of Union soldiers - all of whom were currently aiming their rifles at them.

Lucy raised her hands in defense. "Please," she started. "We're looking for Major General Meade."

The soldiers didn't tear their eyes away from the team. Instead, the men approached the time team, weapons still trained on them. Once surrounded, the soldiers began escorting them down the lane.

"Where are they taking us?" Rufus asked, voice beginning to panic.

Lucy whispered, "Hopefully to Meade..."

"We're going to be shot, aren't we?" Rufus muttered.

"Quiet!" one of the soldiers behind Rufus shouted, pushing him slightly with the butt of his rifle.

Rufus glared at Lucy, unhappy about the current state of things. She didn't need words from him to know exactly why he was upset. She gritted her teeth as she followed the men further into the woods.

After being forced to march into the woods for a couple of miles, they broke through the tree line. Sitting before them in the open clearing was a small encampment of Union troops.

The white tents were lined up perfectly, American flags waving in the wind at the ends of the rows. Soldiers were busy moving about the area, gathering supplies or grabbing some food at the cook's station.

In the center of the camp stood a larger white tent, pulled open at the flaps to let light inside. Lucy could tell by the guards outside the tent that it had to be the commander's tent. She prayed it was Meade's.

The lead scout quickened his pace as he neared the tent. The time team and their escorts seemed to slow their pacing until they were given the sign to approach.

Lucy watched as the scout stood with his back to them before exiting the tent and motioning them inside. Lucy inhaled slowly as she entered the tent first, followed by the other three.

Standing behind a large wooden table was a man, a bit passed middle-age. His hair had receded to the middle of his head while the sides and back showcased his salt and peppered locks, unwashed for days. His bushy beard mirrored the color of his hair, though it appeared neatly groomed for a man of his era. He stood tall with perfect posture. His tired eyes lifted to meet Lucy as she entered.

"My men have told me that they found you wandering the trails," he started. "They overheard your desire to find me."

Lucy licked her lips, careful to choose her words. "Yes sir, that's correct."  
"And what, pray tell, would a lady such as yourself and your..." his voice trailed as he took in the other three members of the team. "companions be requiring of a man of my position?" Rufus shifted in his place over the remark but remained quiet.

Lucy began, "Well, it's a long story-"

"Do try to be brief," Meade told her. "Unfortunately, we will be heading out tonight to reposition ourselves for the battle of Gettysburg."

"About that," she quipped. "Is that still the plan?"

Meade stared at her, emotionless. "Madam, I do not know what your question means."

Wyatt sighed. "Are you still planning on attacking the Confederates at Gettysburg?"

Meade turned his attention over to Wyatt. "You will have to forgive me for not delving into the specific details regarding our strategies with a group of strange travelers who could very well be spies for the enemy-"

"I can promise you that we are not that," Rufus chimed in.

Meade's eyes darted over to Rufus before glancing at the others. Eventually, they settled on Flynn. "And you, sir? Do you not speak?"

"I speak," Flynn said. "However, I do not see how my ability to converse is of import."

Meade's brows furrowed together. "You have a strange accent, sir. I cannot place where it is from-"

Flynn shook his head slightly. He had heard this once before from men in this era. It was why he didn't want to speak up.

Lucy cleared her throat and said, "We have reason to believe that some spies have come through here recently and might be trying to redirect forces-"

"Spies?" Meade repeated. "And you have first-hand knowledge of this, how?"

"Would you believe us if we said that we were spies?" Flynn asked.

Meade chuckled. "I have heard a great many things in my life," he said. "But I have never witnessed a woman joining the ranks of men." Lucy opened her mouth to speak but didn't have a chance.

"Sir?" a voice shouted from outside the tent. As those within the confines of the tent glanced over, the soldier rushed inside without an invitation. "Sir? We've just received stressing news from our scouts near Little Round Top."

Meade raised his hand to stop the man from speaking in front of the time team but the man ignored the order. He was too distressed to think as he blurted out, "The enemy's moving their forces to our East! They look to be positioning themselves for a march on the capital!"

"What?" Meade muttered, glancing down at the maps that were strewn across his table. "Why would they do that?" Lucy's brows knitted together as her brain raced with the possible reasons. Meade waved his hand in the team's general direction. "Get them out of here."

"Wait!" Lucy shouted, holding her hands out to stop the troops. "I think I know what they're doing!"

Meade mirrored Lucy's hand gesture, stopping the troops. "What do you mean by that? Explain."

Lucy slowly inched her way closer to the table between them. "If you act now, you can stop them from moving their position...but if you don't you might end up losing the war."

Meade's eyes narrowed on her. "I'm listening but I will be asking you questions about how you know this-"

She nodded as she quickly explained, "General Longstreet-"

"Longstreet?" Meade repeated. "Of the Confederate army?"

She blinked at him, offering a curt nod in response. "He believed...believes that if he were to position himself in between you and DC, he could cut off your supplies and overtake the capital. By doing this, the battle for Gettysburg will not happen-"

"Gettysburg is as important to them as it is to us-"

"With all due respect, it's not," she told him. "The battle for Gettysburg will be the worst battle of the civil war we've ever seen and the Confederate Army will lose this battle...and the war."

Meade studied her face. "You truly believe this. How do you know all of this?"

"We told you," Wyatt chimed in. "We're spies."

Lucy swallowed her nerves. "If you intercept Longstreet's soldiers now before they can position themselves between the Potomac Army and DC, you can prevent them from winning this war."

"I'll have to consult-"

"You don't have time!" Lucy pleaded. "If you wait, he will move into position and you won't be able to stop this."

Lucy watched Meade's face as he weighed out his options. He turned to his soldier. "You're are certain that they are heading this direction?"

The man nodded. "Yes, sir."

Turning back to Lucy, he asked, "And you're certain that they will give up Gettysburg?"

She swallowed. "Yes. Gettysburg won't happen. The enemy will shift their forces elsewhere to accommodate Longstreet's plan."

Meade rubbed his chin, playing with his beard for a moment. His eyes darted over to his man. "Send riders to Major General Sickles and Butterfield immediately. Inform them of the recent developments and have them act accordingly - as well as my decision to redirect my troops to cut the snake off at the head."

With a quick salute, the man replied, "Yes sir!" He turned on his heel and darted out of the tent.

Lucy inhaled deeply. "Thank you."

Meade held her stare. "I should thank you," he told her. "If this is as you say."

Lucy hoped that she was sure. She didn't want to fall into the trap that they had experienced before with Rittenhouse and Bloodstone. She didn't want to see this turn out to be another distraction and make history worse in the end.

Meade put his hat on and walked around the table. "I will make sure that you and your men," he said, motioning to the other three, "are taken care of. We will get you out of harm's way. And if what you say is true, then the war will be over by the evening."

Lucy forced a smile. She watched as Meade tipped his hat at her, leaving his tent. She turned her gaze over to her friends. She made a concerned face as she neared them.

"End the war by evening," Rufus repeated. "Is that even possible?"

She shrugged. "I hope so... but not likely."

"Don't forget that they said the same thing about World War II," Wyatt pointed out. "Kept saying how it was going to end by Christmas."

Rufus blinked at him. "Now who's in a mood?"

"Ma'am?" a new voice spoke behind them. When they turned, they spotted a soldier, no older than fourteen. "If you'd follow me?"

Wyatt recoiled as he took in the kid. "How old are you?"

Lucy smacked him. "He's a brave young man," Lucy stated, trying to recover from Wyatt's shock. "And a God-given gift to us all, fightin' for God and country." The boy smiled shyly at her as he turned and led them out of the tent.

As they followed a safe distance behind, Wyatt whispered, "He's just a kid."

"A lot of them were," Lucy reminded him. "One of the youngest was Edward Black who was just eight years old when he fought. There were some eleven and twelve-"

"They're kids," Rufus complained. "How is that legal?"

"Different times," she replied. "Unfortunately, a lot of them joined for the money, some to fight for their rights..." she stopped and sighed.

Flynn's eyes drifted over to Lucy. She never stopped mid-thought. He noticed that she seemed lost in thought. The other two didn't seem to think much of it. He widened his stride to catch up to her. "Lucy?"

She blinked back to reality. "Sorry." She forced a smile as she continued walking.

"What happened just a moment ago?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing."

Flynn glanced over his shoulder at Wyatt. "Things still tense?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Are you going to live in the infirmary from now on?"

Her face fell. "You-You knew?"

He nodded solemnly. "Is he still giving you grief?"

She shook her head again. "I've sort of been giving him a wide berth."

Flynn opened his mouth to retort when the kid leading them announced, "I've been ordered to bring you here until the battle is over." They were standing in the woods where a small fire pit had been constructed and one solitary tent was built.

"Come again?" Rufus said. "Until the...what now?"

The kid nodded curtly. "Don't worry, you won't be unprotected."

Glancing over their shoulders, the team spotted a group of younger soldiers gathering to protect them.

Wyatt chuckled. "I guess we're being babysat by the babies."

"Do you want to get shot?" Rufus asked, glaring at him.

Wyatt shrugged. "So, what? We wait here?"

The kid nodded. "We're going to set up the perimeter. Please, don't wander off."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Wyatt muttered, sitting on a stump.

The team waited until the kids left to secure the minicamp. Rufus asked, "So, what do we do now? Does the war really end after this?"

Lucy's face contorted with skepticism. "No...it won't end overnight."

"Why did you tell him that it did?" Rufus questioned.

"Because he needed to hear something that would motivate him to change his direction," Lucy explained. "For most soldiers, it's the knowledge that they can go home sooner."

Wyatt nodded, thoughts drifting back to his days in the field. What Lucy said had made sense to him. He often held onto those statements of hope like his life depended upon. It gave him a reason to get up in the morning.

Lucy turned her eyes to the boys guarding them. "We can't do much until the battle is over."

"How long will that take?" Rufus asked, glancing at the others.

Shaking her head, she replied, "I wish I knew."

Hours passed by. The sun had set twenty minutes ago. The cicadas were singing loudly within the forest around them, the occasional firefly blinking in the dark. Sounds of cannon bursts echoed across the valleys. The sounds of distant gunfire filled the air behind them.

Lucy stared out across the valley. She could see the battle from their position. The night illuminated with each blast or gun that fired. Within those short bursts of weapon fire, she could see the thick smoke left behind. She had no idea which side was which as she watched. She could only hope and pray that whoever was winning, it was Meade's army.

Feeling a presence next to her, Lucy glanced out of the corner of her eye before turning back to the battlefield in the distance.

"I'll never get over how different things are compared to our time," Wyatt sighed as he took in the battle.

Lucy remained quiet but listened to him. She wasn't sure if she should speak up. It hadn't gone well for her over the past couple of conversations.

Wyatt inhaled deeply. "I'm sorry, Lucy...I haven't exactly been the best person to be around-"

"It's fine," she said, waving the comment aside.

He shook his head, turning to face her. "It's not. I know that it's not." He ran his hand through his hair. "Look, I know that you think I gave up-"

"We don't have to talk about this-"

"I think we do-"

"I meant now... Like, right now might not be a good time?" Lucy pointed out.

Wyatt blinked. "Oh, yeah... Okay..."

Lucy offered a small smile before turning and heading back into the camp. Wyatt remained where he was, trying to piece together what happened.

He knew that he needed to apologize to her. The conversation with Flynn and the blowup with Rufus told him as much. Both of them were right - she was pulling away from him - or maybe it was because he was pushing her away. Regardless of which was true, he knew he had the blame on his shoulders.

Wyatt knew that Flynn was right about one thing and it pained him to admit it - something was going on with him and he was scared. He didn't want to talk about it. He wasn't sure if Lucy would understand even if he talked to her. He tried but she had shut him down.

Shaking the feeling aside, he knew that she was right. They were on a mission and they needed to focus on that. As a soldier, he knew how to do that. He told himself that he'd deal with the conversation that needed to take place the moment they returned home. It was a promise he was making silently with the both of them.

Wyatt returned to the others, who were standing around the small fire for warmth. As he neared, he heard horses galloping steadily toward them. Instinctively, he moved his hand slowly up to where his weapon was hidden from view.

The horses emerged from the darkened woods and stopped beside one of the young men. The rider hopped off the horse and approached the kid who had been left in charge.

A quick salute exchanged between them. The kid asked, "What news do you bring from the front?"

The rider replied, "Major General Meade wants to speak with our guests. He will be arriving in the early morning hours."

"Did he say why?" Wyatt asked.

The rider blinked at him. "I did not ask, sir."

Wyatt nodded slowly. "Right...of course."

The rider added, "Keep an eye out for any stragglers."

"Stragglers?" Rufus repeated. "What does that mean?" He turned to Lucy. "What does he mean by that?"

Lucy opened her mouth to reply when the rider announced, "I'm off to connect with General Grant!"

"What word do you have of the battle?" Lucy finally blurted out as the man mounted his horse.

The rider glanced down at her. "We've won the battle...and nearly the war!"

Without saying another word, the rider kicked his horse into a full gallop and disappeared into the night.

Rufus asked, "So, what now?"

"We wait until morning," Lucy replied. "With any luck, Meade will send us home."

The team awoke in the early morning hours to the sounds of approaching horses. Rufus groaned, "What time is it?"

"Early," Flynn replied, sitting up, stretching out the kinks in his back. He had fallen asleep with a tree root pushing into his lower back.

"Five more minutes," Rufus moaned.

Lucy was already awake, pacing the tent's entrance. "If you wake up now, we might be able to get back home."

"I'm awake!" Rufus said, sitting up. He rubbed his eyes, yawning. "I hate mornings."

The flap to their tent opened, letting in the crisp morning air. Standing before the almost-awake team was Major General Meade and his aides. He glanced about the team. "Forgive me, I was informed that you'd be ready when I arrived this morning."

Lucy forced a smile. "Some of us were up late last night."

Meade nodded briefly. "I bring news from the front." He brushed by Lucy to enter the tent. "You were correct in your assumptions regarding the enemy's movements. They were planning on placing themselves in a key location to cut off our supplies and decimate our forces." His head tilted slightly as he continued, "For that, we owe you a great deal of gratitude."

Wyatt's eyes narrowed at him. "I sense a 'but' coming."

Meade blinked at him as he added, "However..." Rufus mouthed 'however' to Wyatt, shaking his head. Meade continued, "We are concerned as to how you knew of their plans and what's more, you decided to seek me out to stop it."

Lucy swallowed, growing anxious. "We are just simple folk who want the same thing you do..."

Meade turned his gaze back to her, disbelieving look on his face. "I wish I could believe you, ma'am."

"Why would we risk our lives to tell you this important information if we didn't want the same things?" Rufus asked. When Meade turned his heated gaze over to him, Rufus shrunk back. "I mean that with great respect, sir..."

Wyatt watched as Rufus tried to bury himself into the tent. He turned to Meade. "We helped you when we didn't have to," he stated. "We didn't ask for anything."

Meade's lips twitched. "I sense a ...'but'...coming?" he mocked.

Wyatt forced himself to keep from smiling. "We just want to go home now that the battle has been won."

Meade glanced over his shoulder before saying, "You save many of my men's lives today. Even more from the enemy's side. You could very well have turned the tides of this war in ways you'll never know. Despite my better judgment and that of my fellow commanders..." he paused before saying, "I will grant you this request."

"What?" Lucy gasped. She blinked away the confusion as she studied Meade's face.

The man nodded. "I've decided to go against the orders of my fellow officers and give you the chance to go home while you can."

The team exchanged glances. "But what-"

"That means," Meade interrupted. "That you have a short amount of time to disappear before we go searching for you..." He turned to leave. Stopping at the tent flap he added, "I will do what I can to keep the search parties at bay until the evening, however, I do not know if I will be able to. Move quickly."

"Thank you," Lucy said. "Good luck with the rest of the war."

He gave her a curt nod before exiting the tent and ordering the men to follow him back.

Lucy watched in awe as Meade took his soldiers and left. Wyatt stood next to her and asked, "What becomes of him?"

Lucy's eyes never left the retreating Meade as she stated, "He becomes an honorary member of Pennsylvania and a commissioner for Fairmount Park...he even gets his doctorate in law from Harvard..." she paused before adding, "he suffers from old war wounds before finally dying from complications with pneumonia."

Once Meade and his men were no longer visible, she turned to Wyatt. "We should go home."

He nodded, offering a small smile. "After you...ma'am."

Memories of her first interaction with Wyatt came rushing back to her. She could feel the blush heating her cheeks as she smiled back at him. She missed this version of Wyatt. This was the Wyatt she knew and loved, but something was holding her back.


	10. To Call Our Own

Present Day

Lucy didn't wait until she was asked before posing the question herself, "What happened at Gettysburg?"

Agent Christopher exchanged confused glances with Jiya and Mason. She turned back to the team climbing out of the Lifeboat. "Nothing of historical meaning...Both armies surrounded Gettysburg before the Potomac Army intercepted General Longstreet's army as they were heading to DC."

Mason said, "If my memory is correct, General Meade had help from some 'concerned' farmers who told him of Longstreet's plans." When he studied the team's faces, he asked, "You're the farmers?"

Lucy's lips pressed into a thin line. "I'm...gonna go...read some history books." Before she could rush off, Denise stopped her.

Agent Christopher asked, "What about Rittenhouse? Bloodstone?"

"This was definitely a Rittenhouse mission," Rufus chimed in. "Trying to change the outcome of the war...and not taking someone from the past back to the future...screams Rittenhouse."

Agent Christopher turned to Lucy. "Let me know if you discover anything within your books. I want to know why Rittenhouse would want to change this-"

Rufus muttered, "Let's just be glad they didn't."

"Get cleaned up," Denise ordered. She held eye contact with Lucy. "Keep me posted."

Lucy nodded, walking quickly back to her old room. When she entered, she noticed that her things hadn't been moved. Everything remained exactly as she had left it before sleeping in the infirmary.

She reached her bookshelf and skimmed the spines, searching for the books on the Civil War. She pulled them off one at a time, into her arms. Crossing back across the room, she dumped them onto the bed.

The door to the room opened. Her head whipped up to see Wyatt closing the door slowly behind him as he entered, eyes fixed on her. "Do you want some help?"

She thought for a moment. Deciding to give him a chance to regain some trust between them, she extended a book toward him.

He sat down on the bed, taking the book from her. He opened it and asked, "What should I search for?"

"Anything on Gettysburg," she said, turning her attention to her own open book. "Or Meade...or us..."

Wyatt nodded, flipping the book to the index at the back. "What are you hoping we find in here?"

She released a heavy sigh, brushing the loose strands of her dark hair out of her face. "Something that could explain all of this...even if it is just some...harebrained theory...at least it's something."

Wyatt carefully skimmed the index. "I'm not seeing anything on Meade or Gettysburg in here."

"Try Longstreet," Lucy added.

He flipped it open again, turning the pages. "Nothing."

She pointed to another book. "Try that one." She continued scanning through her book.

Wyatt continued through the index of the next book. "Here...I think I might have something." He flipped to the correct page and started reading, "It looks like Longstreet had been approached by a group of defectors," his voice hitched in a laugh. He knew the defectors were really Rittenhouse agents. He continued, "who promised a way for the Confederate Army to win the war. They had 'stolen' battle maps to show how the battle of Gettysburg would go if they moved forward with General Lee's plan. General Longstreet pushed for his plan to attack the capital and Lee agreed."

Lucy sat next to him, feeling comfort in his closeness as she leaned over the pages. She muttered, "So... it looks like the battle for Gettysburg didn't happen...just like the theories suggested. And it worries me that they brought old maps with them to alter the course of history."

"They've done that before," Wyatt pointed out.

Lucy hummed a response as she craned her neck to scan more from the book on his lap.

"What did happen?" Wyatt asked, passing the book over to her. He knew how much she loved her history. He wanted to give her the chance to discover the truth first as an act of truce.

She turned a couple of pages. "Longstreet planned to force the Union troops to attack him at the capital but he never reached DC. Meade intercepted by the suggestion of some unknown concerned farmers and caught Longstreet by surprise." She lifted her eyes to meet his. "Longstreet refused to surrender and died in battle with his men against the Potomac Army's advance."

"What happened after that?"

She turned her gaze back to the book, turning another page. "It looks like the other officers believed these farmers were spies and wanted to bring them to charge them with treason...they never found them again."

"What about the war?"

"It looks like it ended a couple of weeks after," Lucy stated.

"And Gettysburg never happened?" Wyatt repeated, almost in shock.

She nodded. "It looks like there was the potential for the battle to have taken place but...Longstreet's maneuver halted that plan. This book says that it's the greatest failed tactical maneuver in U.S. military history."

"Ouch," Wyatt sighed. "That's unfortunate."

Lucy nodded, closing the book. "It is, especially when you consider that if he had gone through with that plan without time travelers from the future to prevent it, he would have won the war for the Confederacy."

Wyatt inhaled deeply. "Well, thankfully, the Union had you." Lucy smiled at him as she stood up. He reached out, grabbing her hand. "Lucy-"

"It's late," she tried to say. "I should get cleaned up."

He stood up as she pulled away from him to gather her books. "We need to talk." She ignored him and he grabbed her shoulders gently, turning her to face him. "Look, please...just... give me a minute. Please?"

She saw the hurt behind his blue eyes. She could feel tears forming behind her own. She nodded, sitting back down on the edge of the bed, clutching her books like a security blanket.

Wyatt exhaled a breath of relief that she was giving him a chance to explain. He said, "I know that I've been acting kind of like a jerk lately."

Lucy raised an eyebrow at him. She knew that he wasn't acting 'kind of' like a jerk but she graciously kept quiet.

The look didn't go unnoticed by him. He corrected himself, "Okay, I was a jerk. A big one. I'm sorry...I shouldn't have been taking this out of you."

"Taking...what out on me?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

It was clear to Lucy that he was struggling to think up the right words to say. He looked uncomfortable in whatever was plaguing him. She began to think that Tenley's disappearance had impacted him more than he had originally led her to believe. She started to feel guilty for doubting his feeling on the matter.

He took a moment to gather himself before admitting, "It...It was Jessica's birthday a month ago...and then ... the anniversary of her death..."

Lucy's head swiveled at the admittance. Stunned, she opened her mouth to say something but couldn't form words. She couldn't believe that he was still hung up on his wife - especially after everything she had done to him - to them.

Wyatt saw her expression and added, "I know...I know! She's not dead - she's Rittenhouse but... She's not the same woman that I married and I guess...I guess I'm still mourning the woman that died in our original timeline."

Lucy gritted her teeth. This wasn't what she had expected him to say. She had hoped for an apology regarding his nonchalant behavior toward Tenley - their future child. Instead, he was moody over things and people who were dead and buried - even hypothetically.

Wyatt continued, "I know that I should have handled this more delicately but instead...I let it eat away at me and I'm sorry."

Lucy's lips twisted off to the side as she listened to his apology. When she realized that he wasn't going to say anything more, she nodded once. "I understand, Wyatt."

"You do?" he asked, almost stunned.

She hummed a response, flashing him a fake smile. "I can't imagine how difficult it is for you to be reminded of her and know that Rittenhouse changed things for you...and her...For both of you..."

Wyatt saw her emotions shift. His brows knitted together. "Lucy?"

She stood up, blinking the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry, Wyatt. For all of this."

"Why are you apologizing?" he asked. "You didn't do anything wrong-"

"Except for the fact that my family is Rittenhouse," she reminded him. "If it weren't for them, you'd be living happily with Jessica."

Wyatt shook his head. "I don't understand-"

She smiled. "I've got to get cleaned up." She started to leave but stopped at the door. She glanced over her shoulder and added, "You should ask Agent Christopher if you could take some time outside the bunker to honor her memory or something."

Wyatt shook his head, taking a step toward her. When she held her hand to stop him, he said, "I don't need time away to honor her memory..." Lucy broke eye contact with him. He said, "I just thought you'd like to know what's been weighing on my mind."

Lucy felt the tears choking her as she tried to keep them at bay. She forced another smile. "I'm going to get cleaned up."

Wyatt stood in the center of their room, watching her leave. He scoffed, trying to think what he had said wrong. This wasn't how he had envisioned this conversation ending. He wasn't entirely sure he knew what would happen but he figured there'd be a more in-depth conversation than what had taken place.

Running his hand through his hair in frustration, he grabbed a change of clothes and his toiletries. He headed down the hall. Along the way, he ran into Rufus.

Rufus noticed the mixed expression of emotions on Wyatt's face. "What's that look for?"

Wyatt sighed as he stood outside the occupied bathroom. He could hear the water from the shower and knew Lucy was cleaning up. He motioned to the closed door. "We talked."

"You did?" Rufus asked, sounding hopeful. "How'd it go?"

Wyatt shrugged. "I have no idea."

Rufus's eyes narrowed. "That doesn't sound promising..."

Wyatt shook his head, glancing at his feet. "I don't get it," he started, bringing his eyes back up to meet Rufus's. "I apologized to her for my attitude lately and-"

"Did you explain why you had an attitude?"

"Yes!" Wyatt scoffed. "I told her that I'm in a dark place since-"

"Since Tenley?" Rufus said, trying to finish Wyatt's sentence.

Wyatt's face twisted in confusion. "Tenley? No - Jessica."

Rufus's eyes widened. "Jessica?"

"What?"

"Why would you be torn up about Jessica?"

"It's the anniversary of her death," Wyatt explained. "Not to mention, her birthday was a couple of months ago-"

"Hold up," Rufus began, still reeling from this information. "You mean, you told Lucy that you were feeling...whatever you were feeling...because of Jessica?"

"Yeah."

"And you don't know why she'd be upset?"

"Well, I mean," Wyatt tried to say.

Rufus exhaled, dropping his head back. "Man, you're such an idiot."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means that she thought you were going to apologize for the whole Tenley thing!" Rufus spat. "And instead, you're going on about a walking dead woman who's part of the whole crazy murderous group we're trying to stop!"

Wyatt blinked at him. "How am I supposed to know?"

Rufus scoffed, shaking his head. "Man, you don't get it..." He started to walk away from Wyatt.

Wyatt turned to watch. "Well, wha..."

Rufus stormed off, unable to look at Wyatt. He was angry. He was angry for Lucy. He didn't peg Wyatt for being the unobservant type. He thought it was obvious where the problems were. He couldn't believe what he had heard.

As Rufus rounded the corner, he bumped into Flynn. "Sorry," he grumbled.

Flynn narrowed his eyes at him. "You all right?"

Rufus ran his hands over his head. "I just thought ... "

"You thought...what?"

"Nothing," Rufus replied. "It's nothing."

Flynn held Rufus's gaze. "It can't be nothing if it's bothering you-"

"Wyatt's an idiot!" Rufus blurted out, unable to contain it any longer. "He's going to drive such a wedge between him and Lucy that Tenley's never going to come back."

Flynn grew rigid. His expression hardened. "What are you talking about?"

Rufus blew a short breath before saying, "He said he talked to Lucy and apologized for his moods but... He doesn't get it!"

"What did he apologize for?" Flynn asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Doesn't get what?"

Rufus licked his lips, unsure he wanted to tell Flynn. He feared that Flynn would react impulsively.

Flynn saw the hesitation and connected the dots. "You're afraid I'm going to confront him?"

"I'm more worried you're going to kick his ass," Rufus said truthfully, head bobbing to the side.

Flynn held Rufus's gaze. He refused to let him skirt the issue. "What did he say?"

Rufus shifted uncomfortably in his place, glancing at his shoes. "He apologized for the wrong thing..." he watched Flynn motion with his hand to continue. "He's feeling down because Jessica's birthday and the anniversary of her death-" Flynn stopped listening and turned on his heel to leave. Rufus called after him, "Wait! Where are you going?"

Flynn marched down the hall. His hands were balled into fists. By the time he reached the bathroom, he spotted Lucy approaching him. He didn't see Wyatt.

He stood in her way. "What happened?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, shifting her things in her arms.

"What did he say to you?"

"He apologized," she said flatly.

"For Jessica?"

"You knew?"

"Rufus told me."

She hummed a response, lifting her eyebrows. She didn't seem surprised in the least.

Flynn studied her face. She had been crying in the shower. He reached forward, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. "We will get Tenley back."

Lucy's lips quivered. "I'm not so sure-"

"We will," he told her again, pulling her into an embrace. "I won't give up."

She relaxed in his arms. "It's like Amy all over again. The people I care about are being ripped away from me and I'm powerless to stop it from happening."

Flynn tightened his grip on her. "I'll talk to him-"

"No," she told him, pulling away. "He's got to figure this one out on his own."

Flynn shook his head. "He needs direction," he said, pointing to the bathroom door. "He needs to know the truth-"

"It won't matter," she said. "Until he can work through whatever it is that is getting to him, it won't matter what we tell him." She shrugged. "Until he gets there, I don't think we're going to have much of a future...and Tenley..." she stopped talking. She sniffled, brushing the hair from her face before putting on that familiar fake smile. "I've got to come to terms with the fact that she might never come home...and I think you need to do the same."

Flynn felt her words strike him in the heart as he watched her walk away from him. He watched her as she entered the infirmary and closed the door. Flynn felt his world close in on himself upon the realization that Tenley might never return.

For the first time since his wife and daughter, he feared for the person he loved the most in all of the world. He felt the familiar pangs of resentment and the feeling to fight back reemerge. He didn't know what else to do but he knew he wasn't ready to grieve for Tenley.

Tensions rose within the bunker as the days passed. Jiya tried to get everyone involved with a games night but she struggled to get an answer from anyone. Eventually, she gave up.

Flynn kept his distance from the others. He repeated Rufus's fear in his mind. He knew Rufus was right: he'd kick Wyatt's ass until the boy understood what the problem was. He also knew it wouldn't do any good. Wyatt's head was thicker than stone most of the time.

Lucy stayed in the infirmary, rarely coming out when she knew Wyatt was up and about. She read the few books that Tenley had brought with her but there were only so many times Lucy could read Pride and Prejudice and its modernized version, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The only other options Tenley had were medical journals and the talk of blood made her squirm.

When the alarms in the bunker sounded, it seemed universal for everyone's feelings to have something to do to distract themselves from the growing issues.

Gathered in the main living area, Jiya typed at the keyboard. She stated, "Victoria, British Columbia..." more typing came from in front of Jiya before she added, "September 17, 1860."

Lucy's brow knitted together in thought. She was drawing a blank. Finally, she shook her head.

Agent Christopher nodded. "Be careful. Stick together...you don't know what you're walking into."

Rufus and Wyatt were the first to enter the Lifeboat. Flynn glanced at Lucy. He offered a small sympathetic smile as she pushed by him to climb up the steps. He shook his head, wondering what miracle would bring them all together as a family once again.

1860

The Lifeboat landed in an abandoned fishing warehouse on the outskirts of the Inner Harbor of Victoria. The moment the hatch opened up, the overwhelming stench of fish washed over the team. Rufus gagged, covering his mouth to keep from losing his lunch.

Flynn glanced out of the corner of his eye at the pilot. He didn't have to ask. He turned his gaze back out toward the harbor.

Lucy had exited the Lifeboat. Her eyes were wide with amazement as she took in the area surrounding them.

Wyatt was the first out of the Lifeboat. He had examined the building they were in and found old supplies stashed inside. He returned with clothes in his arms. "Well, they reek of fish and rotten fruit but...better than nothing."

Rufus grimaced as he took the clothes from Wyatt. "I think these smell worse than the air itself...something I never knew was possible until now."

"Breathe through your nose," Flynn suggested. "You'll get used to it."

Rufus glared at him. "You breathe through your nose...I might throw up if I do that."

Flynn shrugged as he examined the clothes he took from Wyatt. He sighed, realizing they'd be of the poorer citizens. The clothes were that of old dock workers, plain and ratty, covered in stains and as Rufus had pointed out, it reeked worse than the ambient air.

Lucy cleared her throat as she took the ratty dress and climbed back into the Lifeboat to change. It didn't take her long to change her clothes and she sat inside the Lifeboat, listening carefully to the men's conversations to determine when they were done.

As they changed, Wyatt noticed Rufus and Flynn avoiding his gaze. Finally, he asked, "What is it with you two?"

"What are you talking about?" Rufus asked, trying to deflect.

"I don't know," he said. "It's like you're avoiding me."

"We just traveled through time in a small ship," Rufus pointed out. "How are we avoiding you?"

"You know what I mean."

"No, I really don't."

Flynn sighed. "Let's not do this here. We have to figure out what's going on so we can get out of these clothes."

"I'm going to smell like fish oil for weeks," Rufus complained.

Wyatt shook his head. "Fine. Are you ready?" When the two nodded, readjusting their clothes, Wyatt called out, "Are you about finished in there?"

Lucy started to climb back out. "I was waiting for you."

Wyatt reached out his hand for her to take but she slid down without his assistance. He furrowed his brow briefly but didn't comment on it. He cleared his throat and asked, "So, what are we doing here?"

Lucy shook her head. "I don't know...let's go for a walk."

"And take in all that...fresh...air?" Rufus muttered as he followed Lucy out into the harbor.

Lucy's eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas as she took in all of the large steamer ships coming into and leaving the port. She watched as the seagulls played in the sky above the fishermen at work.

As her eyes drifted down to the docks, Wyatt whispered, "Looks like we've got company."

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw where Wyatt had been looking. At the far end of the dock were four men in black suits. From what Lucy could tell, they hadn't noticed them yet.

"Oh, great," Rufus grumbled. "It's a Bloodstone mission... which means someone's going to turn up missing."

Flynn stepped up to Lucy, closing the gap between them. "Any ideas yet as to why we're here?"

Lucy shook her head. "Not yet." She turned her back to the Suits and scanned the harbor. Sighing, she marched down the lane, searching silently for clues.

"I guess we're walking?" Wyatt mumbled as he fell in behind her.

Lucy's eyes landed on an old newspaper, crumpled up into a loose ball just on the edge of the curb. She bent down and picked it up. Smoothing out the paper so she could see it, her eyes drifted over the page.

The large print on the front page said The Girls Are Coming! As Lucy continued scanning the article, Rufus read over her shoulder. He asked, "What's crinoline?"

Wyatt tried to catch a glance at the paper. "What?"

"The article says there's 60 select crinoline..." Rufus told him. "I've never heard that word before."

Lucy stated, "Girls...they're bringing girls over from Britain." She lowered the page and asked, "Why would Bloodstone care about a bride ship?"

"A what ship?" Wyatt asked, eyes widening slightly, thinking he misheard.

"It was meant to unite Great Britain and British Columbia," Lucy began. "As well as to clean up the populous in London by sending unwanted orphans and widows to Canada to marry the miners who came out this way."

Flynn's face grew serious. He couldn't imagine the harrowing journey from London to Victoria. He wondered how many of these '60' would actually be alive by the time they docked.

Lucy continued, "They called it a form of independence for those selected but...most of the ones who made the journey successfully, they either were married off or started working at domestic servants."

"So..." Rufus started, drawing out the word. "Slaves? Great."

Wyatt held his hand out as he stopped her from continuing her lesson. "You said those who made the journey successfully?"

Lucy nodded, eyes holding a sadness that Wyatt had begun to recognize as something she did when the details were heartbreaking for her. She said, "Some didn't survive the horrible living conditions on board. The overcrowding and treatment of some of these women were so bad that most wanted to die."

Wyatt sighed out of disgust. He couldn't listen to it anymore. He asked, "So, what does Bloodstone want here? Was there anyone on board one of these ships that becomes important?"

Lucy opened her mouth to speak when Flynn chimed in. "Remember, Bloodstone takes even obscure people from history." When Wyatt looked at him confused, Flynn reminded him, "Violet Jessop?"

Wyatt nodded slowly as he recalled the girl that Tenley had saved back on the Pulaski. He had nearly forgotten about her. "Right, so... What, we've got about 60 girls we need to keep an eye on?"

Lucy offered a half-shrug. "I'm not sure... but the ship is supposed to dock some time today."

"Great," Wyatt groaned. "So, I guess we wait."

The team found a nearby pub to wait for the ship to dock. When they entered the building, it was already packed with excited miners waiting for their future brides.

The four pushed their way deeper into the pub, finding a tiny table hidden in the back corner. Sitting closely together, they scanned the full room.

Wyatt asked, "How old are these brides? Because...from where I'm sitting, these guys look to be in the sixties..."

"At least," Rufus added, nodding in agreement. His eyes continued to land on the men who sported length white beards. He cringed as he thought about one of these young women being married to them.

Lucy leaned closer as she said, "Some of them were as young as 12-"

"Twelve?" Flynn scoffed, face contorted in disgust. He pinched the bridge to his nose, trying to remember how different the times were.

Wyatt's eyes were wide, showcasing his disgust as well. "They got away with this?"

Lucy gave him that look - the one that told him how history isn't always sunshine and rainbows.

Rufus asked, "Why did the article talk about crinoline? Why not just say, girls?"

"Because if they were to admit that ships were transporting people instead of goods," Lucy began.

Flynn finished her thought, "They'd be charged as slavers."

Lucy nodded. "Slavery was abolished in Canada in 1834...almost thirty years now." Rufus sat up straighter as he realized that he wasn't considered a slave.

The atmosphere inside the bar seemed to shift as a large steamer began approaching the dock, horn blowing as it neared. The miners strained in their seats to get a glimpse of the ship from their seats.

A young boy burst into the pub and shouted, "It's the Tynemouth! The girls are here!"

Cheers erupted inside the bar so loudly that Lucy covered her ears a bit. Wyatt shook his head in disbelief. He had never seen grown men react this way before. Rufus's mouth hung open in stunned silence. Flynn glanced about the room, watching each man as they stood up and clamored for the door.

The team stood up, trying to keep together as the crowds pushed each other out of the building. Feeling elbows and hands pushing by, Lucy glanced over her shoulder expecting to see Wyatt or even Flynn but she was surrounded by men she'd never seen before.

"Wyatt!" she cried out. "Wyatt!"

Panic rose in her chest as she was carried away in the wave of the crowd. She felt the fresh air hit her face and she glanced up. She was finally outside but still couldn't find her friends.

"Wyatt! Rufus! Flynn!" she called out desperately.

A hand wrapped around her wrist tightly. She whirled around to face the individual but as she turned, she saw a fist coming for her and her world faded to black.


	11. A Sacrifice

"Where is she?" Wyatt shouted, pushing his way through the crowd. "Do you see her?"

Rufus shook his head as he glanced about. He spotted some shipping crates against the building and ran toward them. He climbed up to the top and gazed out into the mass of men who gathered at the docks. He didn't see Lucy anywhere.

Flynn scanned the crowd. He stood a good few inches to a foot over the miners. He wasn't just looking for Lucy but something told him that Bloodstone had to be involved here. He kept an eye out for the Suits but all he could see were miners for what felt like miles.

The miners gathered where the Tynemouth docked. As the gangplank was pushed out, connecting with the dock, the Captain of the ship emerged. The miners shouted with anticipation. The Captain raised his hands to calm the excited crowd.

The dock foreman walked up to meet the Captain. Flynn watched as the two exchanged words and signed some papers. He wondered if there was a cut in profit for the foreman for keeping this quiet.

Wyatt stopped next to him. "Do you see her?"

Flynn glanced down and saw the fear in Wyatt's eyes. For the first time in a while, Flynn saw the terror that filled his expression. Despite the attitudes he had been giving to Lucy - despite their fights and Wyatt's snide remarks - it was at this moment, all of that had been washed away. Flynn saw love on Wyatt's face. He was terrified for Lucy.

"Do you see her, Flynn?" Wyatt repeated, voice growing in tension as he turned his gaze up to meet Flynn's.

Flynn shook his head. "No. I don't."

Rufus approached the two. "I can't spot her anywhere in the crowds. There are so many people here, it's crazy... I mean, with this many people, how did this not attract more attention in history?"

"We should split up-" Wyatt started.

"Wait," Flynn interrupted, grabbing Wyatt's shoulder. He kept his eyes locked on a group at the base of the gangplank. "I think I see our 'friends'."

Wyatt glanced over to the direction Flynn was staring but couldn't see past the gathered crowd. "So, what do we do?"

Before Flynn had a chance to suggest a course of action, the foreman shouted over the crowd, arms outstretched to maintain peace and order, "Quiet! Quiet!" The crowds settled, listening to what the man had to say.

The foreman lowered his hands and shouted, "We're going to do this in an organized fashion! Two by two, like the ark!"

Scattered laughter erupted across the crowd. Rufus shifted uncomfortably in place. "Please tell me he isn't suggesting what I think he is?"

Two young women were brought out onto the gangplank, side by side. Flynn blinked at them. He saw how filthy they were, sickly looking, and gaunt. He saw their filthy faces filled with fear and uncertainty as they took in the crowds of men.

"Let's start off with these beauties!" the man shouted over the crowd, playing with one of the girls' hair.

"My God," Rufus muttered. "They really are doing this here..."

Wyatt took a step forward. "We have to stop this."

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Flynn asked. "Take on the entire crowd of very lonely men?" He turned his gaze away from Wyatt. "Our concern right now is to find Lucy."

Men were shouting, holding money above their heads as the first two girls were being auctioned off. Wyatt scoffed, "This is crazy...those two can't be older than fourteen."

Flynn's eyes drifted back over to the Suits. He noticed that three of them were gone and only one remained. His eyes darted about the crowd, searching for the others. He gritted his teeth, lecturing himself for having taken his eyes off of them for a moment.

The two girls on the gangplank were escorted to their new soon-to-be spouses. Rufus shuddered as he watched these older men groping their young prizes. "This is sick..."

The foreman brought two more women forward and the auction continued. Wyatt stared in shock at the girls again. Much like the first ones, they weren't much older.

Turning to face Flynn, Wyatt said, "I can't stand here and wait...I need to find her."

Before either Rufus or Flynn could persuade him to wait, Wyatt pushed his way through the crowds, searching for signs of Lucy.

The closer Wyatt got to the front of the crowd, the more his stomach knotted together. He knew he was approaching the Bloodstone agents but he knew if he waited too long, he'd lose them completely and then where would Lucy be?

With every step he took, he was reminded of that horrifying feeling he knew all too well - the very feeling he felt when Jessica died all those years ago. That pit in the bottom of his stomach that told him that something was wrong began to grow. His nerves were getting the better of him as he felt his hands trembling with every push by he did.

He lectured himself, allowing that inner voice deep within his mind to ream him a new one for how he had been treating Lucy as of late. He needed to tell her how much she meant to him. He knew that was one of his biggest regrets he had with Jessica - never telling her enough that he loved her. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if something happened to Lucy and he never fully expressed his feelings for her. He had said that he loved her once but he wanted to tell her that every day.

Wyatt pushed to the front of the crowd. He glanced about and didn't see the Bloodstone agent. He decided to make his way to the office of the foreman. He figured that was a good place to start searching for clues or at the very least, wait until the disgusting display of selling underage girls to old men stopped.

As Wyatt neared the entrance to the office, movement caught his attention off to his right. Turning his gaze over, he spotted a Bloodstone agent charging him, knife in hand.

Grabbing the wrist of the man holding the knife, Wyatt turned, elbowing the man in the face. He twisted the knife from the man's grip and whirled around. Flipping the blade around, Wyatt found himself standing at the ready for the next attack.

Another shadow moved out of the corner of his eye. Dodging the second Bloodstone man's attack, Wyatt plunged the knife into the man's stomach.

The first Bloodstone man charged again. He swung his fist for Wyatt's face. Wyatt ducked, slamming his fist into the man's side as he defended himself. A few blows later, the Suit crumpled to the ground.

Wyatt knocked the man to the ground. He hovered inches above him as he held his bloodied fist over the man's face. Wyatt demanded, "Where is she?"

When the Suit refused to speak, Wyatt slammed his fist into the man's jaw. "Where is she?!" Another refusal, another punch. He jerked the man up by the collar. "I'm going to ask one more time-"

The man choked on his blood, spitting out a tooth that was knocked loose by one of Wyatt's punches. Wyatt gritted his teeth as he slammed his fist into the man's face once more, knocking him out.

Standing upright, Wyatt glanced over his shoulder. He didn't see any other Bloodstone men. He heard the crowds outside cheering again, making him believe that more women were being showcased. He approached the office door and tried the handle. Locked.

Feeling his frustrations and anger rising, Wyatt took a step back and kicked the door in with ease. He walked in, glancing about the small room. There were no windows for this office. A large desk filled the room, two chairs in front and one behind the desk. Stacks upon stacks of loose papers littered the top of it. Wyatt scoffed, pushing papers around as he hoped to find anything useful.

Hidden under a short stack of paper was a half-eaten apple. It had been there for a while as it had turned almost black. He muttered, "Slobs..."

Sounds of someone running toward the office reached Wyatt's ears. He turned around, aiming his gun at the door just as Rufus burst into the doorframe. Rufus threw his hands up. "Whoa! Whoa! It's me!" Before Wyatt could speak, Rufus added, "We found her!"

"Where?" Wyatt asked. He felt his heart skip a beat before going into overdrive.

Rufus's face seemed pained. "You're not going to like this."

Rufus led Wyatt back into the harbor where the crowds were gathered. As they positioned themselves to a place where they could see the gangplank clearly, Rufus pointed. "She's there..."

Standing on the gangplank by herself was Lucy. From Wyatt's vantage point, he could see that she had a nice new bruise on her left temple. His blood boiled seeing her hurt like that.

He watched as her scared dark eyes bounced around the gathered crowd, clearly searching for them. He wanted to raise his hand to let her know where they were but the bidding for her had started.

"We have to stop this," Wyatt stated, voice desperate. His brows were knitted together and his eyes were narrow with anger. Rufus had taken a step back from him, for fear of being hit.

"We could always follow the guy who buys her?" Rufus suggested.

Wyatt glanced around them. "Where's Flynn?"

Rufus blinked, turning around. "He was just right here a moment ago."

"Sold!" the voice shouted over the cheering crowd.

Wyatt's eyes snapped back to the gangplank. His heart fell into his stomach as he watched Lucy being manhandled down the line toward her buyer. She tried to fight the grip on her arm and that's when he noticed her bound hands.

"That's it," Wyatt spat. "I'm getting her out of there."

As the crowds started to leave for the evening, the foreman shouted, "Come back in two weeks! Another ship will be here to accommodate those of you who didn't snag a wife!"

Wyatt forced his way through the crowds, pushing aggressively. The miners protested his manners as he barreled through. Rufus apologized as he followed his friend.

Taking a moment, Wyatt looked around and spotted Lucy being led off by two men down the alley. He took off running. Rufus muttered something under his breath as he tried to keep up.

Rounding the corner, Wyatt shouted, "Stop!" When the men stopped and turned around, Wyatt said, "Let her go."

Lucy's eyes widened as she took in the murderous look on Wyatt's face. She hadn't seen that look in quite some time. "Wyatt..."

He aimed his gun at the two. "Let her go...I'm not going to ask a third time."

The men released her arms, raising them defensively. The man on Lucy's left stated, "We don't want any problems, yeah? We were asked to buy her-"

"Asked?" Wyatt repeated. "By who?"

"Tall fellow," the man on the right said. "Funny accent."

Wyatt's eyes narrowed on them. "You have a funny accent to me-"

"Yeah but you're not from around here either," the left man said. "Neither was he."

Wyatt's head tilted slightly. "Where were you taking her then?"

"To her new husband," Lefty said. "He told us to bring her to the old warehouse."

"Take me to him," Wyatt ordered. The two exchanged glances. "Now or I'll shoot you right here!"

They raised their hands again. "Okay, okay! No need to be hasty!"

Wyatt kept his weapon trained on the two as he approached Lucy. When he reached her, his eyes never left the men. "Are you all right?"

She nodded, unable to speak. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye before saying, "Come on. Stay close."

Rufus ran up behind them. "Lucy!" He rushed up to her, embracing her tightly. "You're all right!" He glanced down to her bound hands. "Right...here."

Wyatt followed the two down the back alleys, with Rufus and Lucy in tow. As they neared the warehouse, Wyatt's face contorted in confusion. It was the same warehouse they had hidden the Lifeboat inside.

The men stopped and turned to face Wyatt. "We were told to wait here for further instructions."

Wyatt opened his mouth to retort but the door to the warehouse opened. A tall man in a fancy black suit stepped out, removing his hat. Wyatt kept his eye on the man until his face wasn't obscured by the hat.

The hat lowered to reveal Flynn. Wyatt scoffed, lowering the gun to his side. Flynn glanced over to see the rest of them. He kept his scowl on his face as he turned to the two men. "Who are they?"

"They wanted your new wife," Lefty stated. "He had a gun-"

Sighing heavily, Flynn appeared frustrated with them. He tossed them a small bag of coin. "Get out of here. I'll deal with them."

The two men exchanged glances before running in the opposite direction. Flynn put his hand on his hip and turned to the others. When he was certain they were alone, he asked, "What took you so long?"

Present Day

"So, what purpose did Bloodstone have here?" Agent Christopher asked. "Because from what you just told me, I'm failing to make the connection."

"Honestly?" Rufus began, glancing at the others. "I think they were trying to get rid of Lucy."

Wyatt sighed. "They've tried before..."

Lucy stared off into the distance. She hadn't blinked in a while and could feel her eyes beginning to dry. Flynn had been watching her carefully, wondering if he should ask if she were okay.

Wyatt suggested, "I think we need to get cleaned up...and she needs an ice pack." This statement brought Lucy back from her thoughts.

Lucy offered a small smile before heading for the bathroom. Wyatt followed her.

Rufus took a step before Flynn grabbed his shoulder. Rufus turned his gaze over as Flynn said, "Give them a minute."

As Lucy neared the bathroom, Wyatt asked, "Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?"

She sighed, letting her shoulders slump forward. "I'm tired, Wyatt-"

"It won't take long," he told her, stopping inches from her. "Please?"

She wanted to tell him no. She wanted to insist that they do this conversation in the morning but there was that familiar light in his blue eyes that she couldn't dismiss so easily. Finally, she nodded.

He took her by the hand and led her into their room. She was taken by surprise by his gesture. He hadn't touched her in what felt like a lifetime. He left the door ajar as he led her into their room.

"I'm such an idiot," he told her. "I've been the biggest fool out there and I realize that now."

"What are you talking about?"

"I've been angry for the wrong things, Lucy; I see that now. I shouldn't have been taking out my frustrations about ghosts past on you...you don't deserve that."

"I...I don't know what to say to that-"

He stepped closer. "I love you, Lucy. Seeing you disappear from my sight and to find you up on that gangplank..." his voice drifted for a moment. She saw the emotions flooding his expression as he tried to keep his momentum going. He continued, "It killed me to think that I had lost you... It damn near destroyed me to think that I'd lose you forever and I'd never be able to tell you just how much you mean to me - how much I love you..."

She blinked at his admission. She knew he loved her but this was something different. There was a desperation to his voice. It was as though his life depended on her knowing everything he had to give.

He swallowed. "I've been an ass, Lucy... I can only hope that you'll forgive me... and I cannot even begin to say I'm sorry enough because you deserve more than words...but right now, words are all that I have."

She could feel the tears forming behind her eyes. She blinked and one traitorous tear fell. He reached forward, brushing it off her cheek with his thumb. He lingered there for a moment, studying her face.

"Please...forgive me?" he whispered, staring into her eyes.

Lucy saw the plea for forgiveness and comfort behind his eyes. She saw the man she had fallen in love with but something was still holding her back from throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him.

"Please, Lucy..." Wyatt begged. "Please forgive me..."

She blinked, nodding slightly. She gave him a small smile as his brightened. He pulled her close and kissed her. She remembered their first real kiss and the emotions behind it. She knew Wyatt meant his words to her. He loved her.

She simply questioned where she fit inside his world. Was she below Jessica? Would he do this every year when he needed to mourn the life he once had? She didn't have those answers and it plagued her mind.

From the hallway, Rufus could see into Lucy and Wyatt's room. He smiled when they kissed. He whispered, "Looks like things are getting back to normal around here."

Flynn shook his head as he watched Lucy's body language. "I wouldn't count on it yet."

Rufus turned to look at him. "What? You're seeing what I'm seeing, right? This is monumental for them-"

Flynn tore his eyes from the room to look at Rufus. "If that were you, would you trust a simple apology?"

Rufus's brows knitted together as he thought for a moment. "You think-"

"I think it's too soon to tell if things are back to normal," Flynn told him. "Just don't hold your breath."

Flynn started to walk away but Rufus followed him. "I don't understand you," he began. "I thought you of all people would be happy to see them reconciling."

"That's not reconciling...That's smoothing ruffled feathers."

"It's a start-"

"No," Flynn said, shaking his head. He turned to face Rufus. "Trust was broken. Egos were bruised...a simple apology won't fix that."

Rufus studied Flynn for a moment. "So...you don't think it's possible to reconnect-"

Flynn smirked, head cocked. "I'm saying that if you think that kiss means all is right in the world again, you've seen too many movies."

Rufus shook his head in disbelief. "Is it impossible for you to believe in love?" Flynn gritted his teeth as he glared at Rufus. He continued, "This is a huge step in the right direction - the direction that would get them back to the point where Tenley might actually exist again. I thought you'd be able to see that."

Flynn inhaled deeply. "She's not buying his apology, Rufus. I could see it from here."

"You don't know that-"

"You forget that I was married once," Flynn stated. "I've been there before...where you say or do something you immediately regret and there are not enough words in the world to convince them that you're sorry. That kind of broken trust takes time to build up again. Sometimes, it takes years...if you ever get it back." Rufus could see the memories wash over Flynn's features as he thought back over those days. Flynn blinked the tears away and started to walk away.

Jiya came up behind Rufus. Her eyes darted over to the retreating Flynn before turning her gaze back to Rufus. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah, great," Rufus muttered.

"I saw Lucy and Wyatt making up," she said. "Looks like things are getting back to normal around here."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

That evening, Flynn carefully pushed the door to the infirmary open. He expected to see Lucy sleeping on the old couch as she had for weeks but she wasn't there. Glancing over his shoulder, Flynn made sure no one else was around as he slipped into the infirmary.

He stood in the middle of the darkened room, eyes roaming around. Memories of Tenley tending to his wounds and bruises he had endured over the past year came back to him.

He remembered the way her dirty blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, strands that had fallen around her face. He closed his eyes, seeing her face as though she were standing in front of him. He had memorized each freckle she had, the length of her eyelashes. He often found himself getting lost in her dark eyes and how they changed different shades of brown depending on the light and her mood. He thought he could hear her laugh within the room and his eyes flew open, half-expecting her to be standing there wearing an amused smile on her face, only to be disappointed to see the room was still empty and dark.

He sighed, turning his eyes around the room again. He smiled at the memory of her letting him patch up her wounds. He thought over her lessons to him on how to stitch up banana peels. His eyes drifted down to the stack of games on the floor. His smile grew as he remembered thinking she was crazy for trying to get them all to play board games but it worked; they were closer as a team because of it.

His heart ached when he remembered rescuing her from his brother. The fight they had before he kissed her for the first time on that abandoned highway - how their relationship continued to build up past friends and into something much more intimate.

He inhaled deeply, blinking back the tears he willed away every day. He hadn't given himself the chance to mourn her potential death. He refused to let himself believe that she'd never come back. He couldn't listen to the words of doubt but he struggled with it, despite what the others might have thought. It took all of his willpower to keep from breaking down into a ball of tears every night.

Blinking the tears away, Flynn sat down on the dingy couch. He looked around before whispering, "I haven't given up on you yet, Nine, but I don't know what to do...I wish you were here with me..."

He leaned his head back against the couch to stare up at the ceiling. His head was pushing up uncomfortably against what he thought was a pillow. He reached back and pulled it before him. His heart stopped for a moment as his brain translated what his eyes were seeing.

In his hands, Flynn held her old Stargate hoodie. He smirked at the design on the front. She had forced him to watch a couple of episodes and explained the symbols on her hoodie were the same used in the show for Earth's universal address. He chuckled at how much of a closet fangirl she was. The smile faded as his fingers gripped the grey hoodie.

Bringing the hoodie to his nose, Flynn took a deep, slow breath in. His lungs were filled with her familiar scent - a mix of rubbing alcohol, orange blossom, and vanilla. He gripped the hoodie tighter, bracing himself as his body betrayed him to his bottled up emotions.

He sat there in the dark, crying into her hoodie.


	12. Reunion

The days crept on inside the bunker. Rufus watched Lucy and Wyatt's interactions carefully. The more he watched them, the more he realized that Flynn was right: Lucy hadn't fully forgiven Wyatt. Behind her smiles and small kisses exchanged between them, she held back.

Wyatt seemed oblivious to her hurt still. He had apologized, she had kissed him back, and in his world, he truly believed they had recovered from this incident. He thought he had won her back. He was the only one to see it that way.

As the team stood around with the fresh morning coffee, the bunker alarms sounded. Jiya set her mug down to rush to the computer. She typed madly at the keyboard before shouting slightly over her shoulder to the others, "October 10th, 1842, Baltimore."

Lucy's brows furrowed. "The last time we went to Baltimore...It was for Edgar Allan Poe..."

"You think Rittenhouse is trying again with this guy?" Wyatt asked, standing close to Lucy. His voice was softer than it had been in months.

She shrugged. "I don't know...Maybe? But why? I mean, Bloodstone took his wife in 1838-"

"There's nothing else of significance there?" Rufus asked.

"You'll have to figure it out when you get there," Agent Christopher announced. "Good luck."

The usual crew climbed back into the Lifeboat and headed back to a time they knew all too well to see a man they had met once upon a time.

1842

The team found themselves back to the familiar smelly streets of Baltimore. The poor light from the heavy cloud cover and wet air brought memories rushing back to the team. Lucy stopped next to the busy street, glancing passed the horse-drawn carriages to the people bustling about. She remembered spotting Edgar Allan Poe in the streets the first time they traveled here and she hoped it would be that easy again.

As Lucy realized that he wasn't within the crowds, Wyatt asked, "Does anyone remember how to get to his house?" Lucy's eyes darted over to meet his. She blinked at him. He sighed. "Of course, you do."

She cleared her throat, brushing the wrinkles from her black dress as she led them through the busy streets towards Poe's house. As she walked, her nerves began to grow. She wasn't sure why but the thought occurred to her that he might ask about his wife and that terrified her. She knew that she was a terrible liar when placed on the spot and if she had to tell him that his wife was alive when she wasn't, he might not want to help them.

Rufus had thought the same thing. He muttered, "If we can get through this mission without having to tell him about his wife-"

"Just tell him the truth," Wyatt suggested. Rufus and Lucy balked at him. He added, "She's still alive...just not in 1947."

As they rounded the corner to the small house Poe lived in, Lucy gasped out in shock. The house had become incredibly rundown - more so than it had been before. The once blue shutters to the house were barely hanging onto the windows. The wooden steps leading up to the house were warped and cracked. The white house paint peeled up and grayed. The once beautiful and lively plants were all dead.

"Are you sure he still lives here?" Rufus asked.

Before Lucy could answer, the front door flew open and Poe stood there in the doorframe staring at them. "You've returned!" He hopped down his rickety steps and approached them. "What news have you brought me?"

"Regarding?" Flynn asked an eyebrow raised.

Poe blinked up at him. "If you don't have news for me, then why have you returned to me?"

"We were kind of hoping you could tell us?" Rufus admitted.

Poe's eyes darted to each member of the team. A wave of realization washed over him. "They're back, aren't they?"

"Who?" Wyatt asked, unsure if Poe really knew.

Poe stood up straighter. "Those Bloodstone men."

"I'm sorry," Lucy started. "Do you know why they'd return?"

Poe pushed his tongue into his cheek as he thought. He motioned for them to follow him back into his house. "Watch your step."

The team carefully climbed up the decrepit steps and into the house. Inside the house wasn't much better than the outside. The dust had collected for what seemed like years. Spider webs had overtaken the corners of each room, along the stair banisters, and even on his bookshelf. The curtains carried a thick blanket of dust which told Lucy that he hadn't opened them in quite some time.

"Forgive the state of the place," Poe said. "I've been preoccupied."

"With that?" Rufus asked. He muttered under his breath, "Certainly not the maids..."

"There was a murder in New York," Poe began. "And I've been studying the details and I believe they are connected with those Bloodstone men."

Flynn's face grew serious. "What murder?"

Poe shuffled papers around the top of his desk. When he found the paper he was searching for, he lifted it and passed it over. "There was a young woman named, Mary Cecilia Rogers. She worked at a tobacco shop."

Flynn studied the paper in his hand. There was a portrait of a beautiful woman with the title 'Beautiful Cigar Girl' under her depiction. He scoffed as he recognized the face. He passed the paper over to Lucy.

Lucy eagerly took the page from him. She scanned the words before her eyes settled onto the portrait of the girl. Her dark eyes widened as she stared at the drawing before her. Her head snapped up and met Flynn's gaze, mouth agape.

Rufus and Wyatt peered over her shoulder to look. Rufus pointed to the picture. "Isn't that Cinderella?"

Poe's head lifted at the remark. He asked, "Cinderella?"

Wyatt stated, "We've seen her before."

"In the future?" Poe asked. When Wyatt nodded, Poe glanced back down to his notes. "Now that brings up some interesting developments."

"What are you talking about?" Wyatt questioned, crossing his arms over his chest.

Poe shuffled more papers around before finding another newspaper. He stated, "She disappeared on October the fourth in 1838 in New York City." He paused and turned around to the wall behind him. The team noticed for the first time that Poe had set up a pinboard, tracking the girl's movements and locations. He continued, "Then she showed back up a few days later, announcing her elopement to a naval officer."

"What's the significance here?" Wyatt asked, taking a closer look at his board.

Poe pointed to the board again. "Three years later, on July the twenty-fifth, she disappeared again. But!" he said, dramatically emphasizing the word. "She was found floating in the Hudson River on July the twenty-eighth in Hoboken, New Jersey."

"So, the husband did it?" Rufus asked.

Poe shook his head. "Her husband was found dead...ruled a suicide. The police found a remorseful note and an empty bottle of poison near his body."

"But you don't think he did it," Flynn pointed out. It wasn't a question but a statement of a fact. He could tell by looking at Poe that he didn't believe this to be coincidental.

Poe shook his head, pulling more papers from his desk. "No, I don't. In fact, some of these depictions of the murder scene show some very familiar faces."

He held the papers out. Flynn took them and glanced over the drawings. There, behind the characters drawn in the foreground, were four men dressed in identical black suits. Flynn's jaw tensed as he studied the drawings.

Flynn handed the drawings over to the others. "So, why are you so interested in this case?"

Poe studied Flynn for a moment. After a moment, he said, "I've been tracking their movements since they left here with my wife all those years ago."

Wyatt pinched the bridge to his nose. "I'm sorry but I'm a little confused here." He turned back to Lucy and pointed to the picture in her hands. "Why is Hazel Drew on that poster? What did Bloodstone want with her?"

"That is what I am trying to uncover," Poe admitted. "Something is not adding up with the evidence the police have gathered."

Lucy's eyes moved as she thought things over. Finally, her head snapped up to meet Poe's. "The Mystery of Marie Roget!"

"I beg your pardon?" Poe asked, eyes widening.

She took a step forward, depositing the papers onto his desk. "You're writing it now, aren't you?"

"Writing what?" Rufus asked. "What's going on?"

Lucy said, "He writes a fictional story over this murder and pushes newspapers to print them. He called it The Mystery of Marie Roget."

Poe looked stunned. "I'm doing it to help shed light on the men who murdered her! I just need to uncover the truth!"

"This obsession of yours will be your undoing," Flynn told him. Poe narrowed his eyes in thought at Flynn. It felt like he could see through him and it made Flynn nervous.

Wyatt cleared his throat. "Okay, so...let's go over what we know." He motioned to the drawing of Mary Cecilia Rogers. "If that is Hazel Drew, then Bloodstone brought her back here to kill her?"

"Makes sense," Lucy replied. "I mean, we did stop them from killing her back in her own time...and I couldn't find any information on her when we returned home."

"What?" Rufus asked. "You looked her up?" Lucy nodded. He added, "And you didn't tell us?"

She shrugged. "It didn't seem important...I mean, I knew that something was wrong but I had no idea it would be this!"

Wyatt waved the debate to the side. "So, why would they bring her here?"

Poe cleared his throat. "I think I might have an idea as to why she was murdered." All eyes turned to Poe. He said, "In October 1842, a woman on her deathbed had confessed to knowing more about Mary's disappearance."

"Deathbed confessions?" Rufus muttered. "How much of those are ever true?"

Poe tilted his head. "I believe her accounts," he stated. "She said that she had seen Mary with a tall, dark man that Mary knew and wasn't a stranger, unlike most of the reports the police had been given that day."

"Who was he?" Lucy asked.

"He turned out to be a young physician from the city," Poe explained. "He said he was there to collect her for her premature delivery."

"Premature delivery?" Wyatt repeated, brows furrowed with confusion.

Lucy sighed. "It's a euphemism for abortion." She rubbed her temple. "You think she was pregnant?" Poe nodded.

Flynn shook his head. "This woman you said was on her deathbed?" Poe nodded again. Flynn asked, "What did she die of?"

Poe held his finger in the air as he stated, "That is where things start to connect." He turned around and pulled more papers from the board on the wall. He stated, "She claimed that she had been accidentally shot by one of her sons...but her statement was different when the accident happened."

"Wait, she changed her statement?" Rufus asked.

Poe nodded. "She claimed that men in black suits had confronted her over the information she knew regarding Mary...told her not to go to the police."

Flynn clasped his hands behind his back as he stood before Poe's desk. "You're saying that she recognized the man who came for Mary and wanted to lead the police that way?"

"And Bloodstone stopped her," Wyatt added.

"Hell of a way to stop someone," Rufus muttered.

Lucy shook her head. "I'm still confused...why did it matter? What am I missing?"

Wyatt asked, "Have you seen these guys since we left?"

Poe shook his head. "No, however, I'm expecting to see them if I am right about their involvement."

"You're willing to risk your life just to expose these people?" Rufus asked, in utter disbelief. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Poe lifted his eyes and said, "If everything was taken away from you and you had nothing left to lose, wouldn't you do everything you could to stop them?"

Lucy swallowed her nerves. "What can we do to help?"

Edgar Allan Poe had suggested that some of the team head to the house of Frederica Loss, the woman who had died confessing her knowledge of what happened to Mary. Frederica had relocated from New York to Baltimore to be closer to her family - fleeing who he believed was the Men In Black. He believed that if they could get her sons to talk, they'd be able to understand what truly happened the day she had been shot. Rufus and Wyatt headed out to the woman's residence, leaving Lucy and Flynn behind with Poe.

Lucy continued to search through and read the evidence and notes that Poe had collected since Hazel's death. As she sifted through the stacks of papers Poe had given her, she could hear him talking to Flynn.

"I have seen that look on my own expression," Poe told Flynn. "Who have they taken from you?"

Flynn's eyes lifted from the papers in his hands to meet Poe's gaze. "Excuse me?"

"I can see that hidden desperation behind your eyes," Poe told him. "If you don't address it, it will eat away at your soul until it consumes you entirely."

Flynn didn't blink. "What makes you so certain that it hasn't already?"

"Because," Poe started. "I also see some flicker of hope like a flame. It's small but it's there." Flynn clenched his jaw, averting his gaze. Poe asked, "How long has she been gone?"

Lucy bit her lower lip, trying not to interject or cry. She pretended not to hear the conversation but this had been the first time someone had pointed out Flynn's struggles with Tenley.

Flynn set a page down onto the desk. "A while."

"Was she taken away from you by these Bloodstone men?" Poe asked. "Much like my wife?"

Flynn inhaled deeply. "Something like that."

Poe shook his head. "I'm terribly sorry." Flynn didn't acknowledge the man's sympathies. Poe inched closer and asked, "It's killing you inside. I can see that."

Flynn scoffed. "I don't need your pity-"

"No," Poe admitted. "You don't but you do need to face the brutal truth." Flynn glared at the man. "Until we destroy these men, we cannot save those we love."

Flynn smirked. He realized that Poe had said something similar to what he used to say when he started this whole mess all those years ago. He shook his head as he turned back to the papers. "Your situation is a bit different from mine."

Poe cocked his head to the side. "You didn't lose someone to Bloodstone?"

"Mine disappeared before my eyes," Flynn growled. "And I'm not talking about someone kidnapping her and hiding her somewhere. I'm talking about vanishing into thin air before my eyes."

Poe stared at Flynn with a mix of shock and understanding. "How does man possess such abilities?"

Flynn smirked, shaking his head as he let it fall. "Unfortunately, it's more complicated than that."

"It always is," Poe remarked. When Flynn lifted his eyes, Poe added, "Until you confront the terrors that plague you, you'll never be able to find the strength to defeat them."

Flynn watched Poe walk away. He blew a short sigh, trying to keep his emotions in check. Poe had a way of connecting with him on several fronts. The last time the poet spoke to him on a personal front had been when they discussed Iris and her ability to see the future.

Flynn ran a hand through his hair, trying to shake the emotions that threatened to burst the dam he built around Tenley's disappearance. It was becoming a struggle more and more each day. Being back in this old house didn't help matters.

In the other room, Lucy heard footsteps approaching her. She glanced up to see Poe. He sat down across from her. "How are you holding up?"

She offered a polite smile. "I'm not having much luck finding-"

"I meant from a personal standpoint," the poet clarified.

"Oh," Lucy said, forming the word with her lips.

Poe glanced over his shoulder to see that Flynn remained by the desk. He said quietly, "Your friend seems conflicted." He turned back to Lucy. "As you do."

"I'm fine," she lied.

Poe laughed. "I saw it on your face the moment you showed up here," he told her. "You are anything but fine." She exhaled slowly, shifting in her seat. He continued, "I think you are struggling, just like your friend in the other room, and as strange as it seems, I wonder if it isn't the same struggle."

Lucy's eyes filled with tears. She wiped the loose hair away from her forehead. "I am not sure how you figured it out."

"I'm an author," he whispered. "I study people for a living." He raised his eyebrows as though he had just shared with her an inside joke. She chuckled and he asked, "Does it have anything to do with his vanishing girl?"

Lucy bit her lip. "Yes..." Her eyes darted into the other room. Flynn hadn't moved from his spot. She said, "The person who vanished is close to both of us - well, actually to three of us for different reasons...and..."

"The third," he began. "The other gentleman who was here...Wyatt?"

Lucy nodded. "We had a pretty big fight and he thinks we're okay again."

Poe's head tilted to the side as he listened to her. "He apologized?" She nodded and he pointed out, "He apologized for the wrong thing."

"How did you-"

"Because I've been there myself with my wife," he told her. "Sometimes, we see things differently than those of the fairer sex. As men, we want to repair the broken things but we struggle to admit that we might be the ones responsible for breaking it in the first place." Lucy took in his words, nodding slowly. He added, "If he's apologized for what he thinks he is responsible for, know that he believed that to be the issue and all else is naught."

"But that's the thing," Lucy started. "What he didn't apologize is why I can't trust him-"

"How can he win back the favor of your trust," Poe started. "If you refuse to give him the chance to do so?"

Lucy opened her mouth to retort but found the words stuck. Poe smiled before standing up and heading back to his desk, leaving her with much more to think about than Hazel Drew's death.


	13. Marked Target

On the other side of town, Wyatt and Rufus found the brownstone building in which this Frederica Loss had lived with her sons. Rufus stared up at the decaying building. "What are we going to do?" he asked. "Knock on the door and ask if their mother was murdered by guys in black suits?"

"Sounds like a good start," Wyatt admitted, knocking on the old door.

Rufus shook his head. "I'm getting major Jack the Ripper vibes here."

Wyatt eyed Rufus, shifting uncomfortably. He hoped that wasn't the case. His eyes darted back to the door as it opened up with difficulty.

Creaking open and falling at an angle once it was opened, Wyatt and Rufus were staring face to face with a young man no older than sixteen. "Yes? May I help you?"

"I'm sorry to bother you," Wyatt began. "Are you the son of Frederica Loss?"

"I am," the boy replied, gripping the old door tightly.

Wyatt saw the boy's fingers turning white as the grip intensified. "We were hoping to speak to you about what happened with your mother."

"She died six years ago," the boy muttered. "What is this about?"

Wyatt took a step forward. "Mind if we come inside?"

The boy's brown eyes darted between the two before eventually, he moved to the side and allowed them both access into the house.

The boy struggled to close the door. Once he got it shut, he motioned to the back of the house. "Please, this way."

Following him through the narrow hallway, the two found themselves inside a modest kitchen. The boy asked, "Would you like some water?"

Rufus spotted the brownish colored water in the pitcher that sat on the small table. He shook his head. "We're good."

The boy's brows knitted in confusion of the phrase but said nothing. "You wanted to know about my mother's death?"

Wyatt nodded. "What can you tell us about that night?"

The boy swallowed nervously. "She came home late one night and we thought she was an intruder...so...I shot her."

"You shot her?" Wyatt asked. The boy nodded. "With what gun?"

The boy's eyes darted between the two nervously. "I...I got rid of it."

"You said 'we thought'," Rufus repeated. "Who's we?"

The boy took a step back. "Look, they told us if we told the truth we'd be next."

"Who?" Wyatt asked quietly. "The men in black?" The boy's expression told them everything they needed to know. Wyatt said, "We can protect you. Whatever it is, we're here to stop them."

"I can't," the boy said. "I can't die...I have to take care of my brothers."

Rufus saw movement at the hallway entrance and turned to look. Standing at the bottom of the stairs that led to the bedrooms was a young boy around five years of age. Another young face peeked through the stairwell banister - a boy no older than three.

"Please," Wyatt begged. "It's important."

"I'm sorry," the boy replied. "I am...but I can't-"

Rufus asked, "Don't you want your family to live the rest of their lives in peace?" He turned his gaze back to the older boy. "You can't live in fear-"

"I have no choice," the kid stated, fear rising in his voice. "Please, leave."

Wyatt scoffed. He shook his head as he turned his attention to Rufus. Rufus shrugged as they exited the house. The moment the boy had slammed the old difficult door closed, Rufus turned to Wyatt. "Now what?"

"I don't know," Wyatt started to say. He heard the sounds of someone clearing their throat, trying to get their attention. He glanced over his shoulder and saw an old man, hunched over with a grimy wet blanket draped over his back and head. He was waving them over.

As they approached, the man asked quietly, "You're asking about Frederica?"

"You knew her?" Wyatt asked. The elderly man nodded. "What can you tell us?"

He motioned for them to follow him. The two found themselves being led deeper into the alleys of the ghetto. The old man stopped and faced them. He whispered, "They came late one night."

"Who?" Rufus asked.

"The men in black," the old man replied. "They broke the front door down to get to her." Wyatt and Rufus exchanged worried glances. The old man wiped a tear from his wrinkled cheek as he continued, "She didn't have a chance to defend herself...they killed her with guns I've never seen before."

"But why?" Rufus asked. "What did she know that they didn't want her to tell?"

"She knew what happened to Mary...why they had killed her," the old man said.

Wyatt pleaded, "Please, tell us what you know..."

The old man coughed into his blanket. Rufus spotted blood lining the moldy blanket and cringed. The old man replied, "Mary was pregnant when she died...it's why she died."

"And Frederica knew this?" Wyatt pushed.

The old man nodded. "She recognized the doctor."

"Who?" Rufus asked, growing impatient. The tension was becoming more than he could bear.

Before the old man could answer, the sound of automatic guns being fired echoed around them. The bullets ricocheting off the alley walls caused them to flinch and take cover.

Wyatt crouched behind some old crates, grabbing his gun and popping out to fire off a couple of rounds.

Rufus held the old man in his arms as they hunkered down behind a side street. Blood seeped out of the man's mouth. Rufus moved the blanket to the side and saw the bullet wound in the man's stomach, blood soaking through his shirt quickly.

Rufus turned his gaze back to the man's tired eyes. "Please, sir...who was the doctor?"

The words were barely heard over the gunfight. "Rey...nolds..." The moment the word left his mouth, Rufus watched as the life fled his eyes.

Rufus sat on the wet ground, holding the old man tightly in his arms. He realized the gunfight was over and forced himself to look up at Wyatt, blinking back the tears.

Wyatt saw the dead man and sighed heavily. "Damn it."

Rufus asked, "Where did they go?"

"They left," Wyatt stated. "There were too many for me to give chase, so I'm not complaining."

Rufus nodded aimlessly. Wyatt noticed his expression and asked, "Are you all right?" Rufus nodded again. "We have to get back to the others."

When the door to Poe's house opened, the three inside whirled around just in time to see Rufus and Wyatt entering. Their expressions were glum.

"What happened?" Lucy asked, standing up, dumping the papers onto the puffed seat.

"Things just got a bit more complicated," Wyatt stated.

Flynn's eyes darted between the two. He spotted blood on Rufus's clothes. His eyes twitched as he motioned toward the stain. "Are you-"

"It's not my blood," Rufus interjected, after glancing down at his borrow shirt.

Edgar Allan Poe stepped around the desk. "What news do you have?"

"Turns out there's a lot more going on here than we thought," Wyatt stated. "I think you're right...These Bloodstone men are responsible for everything."

Rufus cleared his throat. "Frederica's sons didn't want to talk to us, understandably since they were being watched-"

Wyatt cut him off, knowing that he tends to ramble when stressed. "There was an old man living on the street who told us that he overheard the conversation the night she was killed."

"Overheard?" Flynn repeated.

Poe waved the remark to the side, unsurprised. "The walls are like paper. It's how I knew you were approaching the house when you first arrived." He turned his gaze back to Wyatt, placing his hands on his hips. "What did this man say?"

Wyatt sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Apparently, Bloodstone broke down Frederica's door to kill her because she knew Mary's killer, and not only that, but he said Mary was pregnant when she died - that it was why she died."

"And that's why her confession changed?" Lucy asked.

Wyatt nodded. "She did it to protect her sons."

Flynn crossed his arms. "Did she say who it was?"

"A doctor," Rufus replied. "By the name of Reynolds."

Lucy and Flynn exchanged worried glances. Lucy's face paled. Poe noticed the sudden shift in energy within the room. His eyes darted around the team before asking, "Who is Reynolds?"

Lucy sighed, pinching the bridge to her nose. "We don't know..."

"But you've heard the name before?" Poe asked.

"The first time we heard about the name, you warned us of him," Flynn blurted out. "Then someone else warned us..."

"I don't recall having warned you-" Poe started, trying to recall the moment in question.

Lucy sighed. "That's the name you mentioned before dying..."

"Is he a member of Bloodstone, then?" Poe questioned, blinking at Lucy's remark. "Is that who kills me?"

Lucy shifted in her place. "We don't know what happens to you...it's ... very strange."

Poe nodded slowly as he let her words sink into his head. He shook his head, deciding not to ask more on the matter. He turned and reached for his coat on the rack in the corner. As he started to pull it on, he stated, "I am going to take a stroll."

"What?" Rufus asked expression confused. "Now? Are you sure that's a wise idea?"

Poe straightened his coat collar. "If we are to determine who this 'Reynolds' is, I have a few inquiries to make." He headed for his door. "I shall return."

Before the team could stop him, he closed the door upon his exit of the cluttered and dusty home.

"Should one of us go with him?" Rufus asked, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb.

Lucy shook her head. "I think we'd end up bringing more attention to him." She sighed, motioning to the clutter of papers strewn about. "In the meantime, we could keep trying to figure out what happened here."

Flynn's lips twisted in thought. Something didn't sit well with the direction of everything. With crossed arms, he brought his thumb to his lips, tapping them as he considered his options.

He had a nagging feeling that Poe was getting close to discovering the truth and letting the poet out of their sights would result in tragic endings. He also knew that Lucy was right - if they all headed out with him, they would lead Bloodstone straight to him.

Finally, Flynn decided that it was more important to make sure that Poe would survive this encounter. It was clear the way that the poet left, that he had some idea as to who to ask about Reynolds. Flynn knew how dangerous that name was and knew he had to help - too much rode on the discovery of the man's identity.

Dropping his hands back to his sides, he marched across the cluttered room to the door. "Where are you going?" Rufus asked.

"I'll be back," Flynn said quickly before slipping through the open door.

"Where's the Terminator going?" Rufus asked. Wyatt shrugged before turning back to the papers before him.

Flynn walked briskly through the cold and crowded streets of Baltimore. With his longer stride, he managed to catch up to Poe relatively quickly but maintained a comfortable distance so as not to attract that unwanted attention Lucy warned them about.

Poe seemed oblivious to Flynn's following. He navigated through the streets with ease and didn't seem to have a care in the world as he passed by shops and beggars.

Finally, Flynn stopped as Poe entered a brick building. The sign hanging over the door read, 'The Lone Eagle'. Flynn exhaled, shaking his head. He hoped that Poe wasn't going inside to drink.

He crossed the busy cobblestone street and reached for the handle of the red-painted door to the tavern. He pushed it open and entered. His eyes scanned the occupants. There were over twelve crammed into the building, none had lifted their eyes to look over at his entry.

He slipped into the corner of the room and scanned the crowds. His eyes caught the familiar black tufts of hair opposite the room from him. Poe had sat down across from another figure on the other end that he couldn't quite make out. They seemed to be in deep discussions.

He watched their body language as they spoke. None of it seemed hostile. Poe eventually reached forward and shook his friend's hand. He gave a curt nod before turning and walking toward the door. Flynn waited and noticed that Poe hadn't seen him.

Once the poet left, Flynn got up and followed him back into the cold world. He glanced over his shoulder and spotted Poe making his way back toward his house. Flynn followed.

Halfway back to Poe's house, Flynn spotted two figures lurking around the massive oak trees that lined the road. He quickened his pace. Just as Flynn started to catch up, the two figures jumped out from their hiding places. Flynn spotted the clubs in their hands as they hit Poe across the back and legs, knocking him to the dirt road.

Flynn sprinted into action without hesitation. He grabbed one of the men's clubs, yanking it from their grip. He smacked the unarmed man across the face with the club. The other man whirled around, prepared to attack Flynn. Flynn removed his gun and fired a single round into the man's chest, watching the lifeless body slump down next to Poe.

Flynn glanced down at the unconscious man by his feet. He wanted to fire a round into that man's chest as well but decided against it. He needed answers. He turned his gaze to Poe. "Are you all right?"

Poe groaned as he picked himself up. "Bloody bastards." He brushed himself off before turning his gaze up to Flynn. "Thank you for your timely rescue." Flynn nodded, acknowledging his remark. Poe's brows knitted together as he asked, "Did you follow me?"

Flynn nodded. "I was concerned for your well-being."

"Quite right," Poe admitted. "I guess your instincts were correct."

Flynn bent down to examine the man he struck with the club. "Do you have a garden shed or a barn we can take him to?"

Poe nodded. "A small potting shed, would that do?"

"That'll work," Flynn said. He motioned for Poe's help and the two carried the unconscious man back.

The team waited outside the potting shed for the man to return to consciousness. "Is he Bloodstone?" Rufus asked. Flynn gave Rufus that look - the one that showed that he couldn't believe he was asking such an obvious question. Rufus saw it and nodded. "Right, of course, he is."

"What's the plan here?" Wyatt hissed under his breath, afraid the Suit was listening. "Are you going to just ask him about Reynolds?"

Flynn shrugged. "Might as well."

Wyatt scoffed, tossing his hands up in the air. He knew it couldn't be that simple. There was no way that this man would give them the answers they wanted. They had run into Bloodstone men before and none of them were exactly keen on sharing their diabolical plans.

Poe blinked at Wyatt. "How do you know he won't give you answers unless you ask them?"

The Bloodstone man started to stir, groaning as he came to consciousness. He lifted his head and saw the team staring back. He bucked against his binds. "You might as well kill me now," he spat. "I won't tell you a word!"

"Who said anything about talking?" Flynn asked. Everyone seemed shocked by his words, except for Poe. Lucy hoped he was bluffing.

The Suit asked, "What do you want with me?"

The team looked at Flynn, wondering what his plan with this man was going to be. Flynn took a step forward, opening his mouth to speak but he never got the chance.

"You are going to be the instrument for our message to your boss," Poe stated. He began to undo the buttons on his jacket.

"What message?" the man asked, eyeing the poet.

Shrugging out of the coat, Poe stated, "That we're not to be trifled with any longer." He gently laid his coat across the back of an old iron chair.

The man laughed. "There's nothing you could do to get me to talk."

Poe picked up an old rusted hacksaw from the shed. He gave it a quick glance. "I'm sure that you're familiar with my story, 'The Pit And The Pendulum'? It's based on a true story."

The man tilted his head. "Sorry, not much of a reader-"

"Pity," Poe sighed. "Allow me to elaborate..." He ran his finger across the rusty teeth of the saw as he quoted, "Still I quivered in every nerve to think how slight a sinking of the machinery would precipitate that keen, glistening axe upon my bosom." He paused to bring the blade to the Suit's chest, running it over the clothes. A button popped off as he continued quoting, "It was hope that prompted the nerve to quiver - the frame to shrink. It was hope - the hope that triumphs on the rack..." He sawed through the Suit's coat, the fibers snapping open, causing the man to squirm in his chair, eyes wide with fear. Poe continued, "That whispers to the death-condemned even in the dungeons of the Inquisition."

"You're crazy!" the Suit said, struggling against his binds. "You're all crazy!"

"Why did you kill Mary?" Poe asked, pushing the saw deeper into the coat. When the Suit didn't answer, Poe pulled the saw across the man's shirt, exposing his chest as the clothes were completely sawed away.

"Okay! Okay!" the man shouted, panic-stricken. "She was pregnant, all right? We tried to get rid of it-"

"Why?" Poe asked. The man shook his head, unsure if he should continue. Poe dragged the blade across his chest, leaving behind a bloody trail against his flesh. The man cried out. The team exchanged horrified glances. Wyatt took a step forward to put a stop to this.

"It was Reynold's child!" he screamed. "Please! Stop!" Wyatt halted in his tracks after the admission.

Flynn scoffed. "You don't handle torture well-"

"He'll kill me anyway," the man stated, voice trembling with fear. "It doesn't matter if I keep it secret or not."

"Who is Reynolds?" Wyatt asked. "What does he want?"

"Total world domination," the Suit stated. "He wants to rule the world by his means."

"By kidnapping people in history?" Lucy asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

The man shook his head. "I don't know."

"Who is Reynolds? What does he look like? How do we find him?" Wyatt asked.

The man shrugged. "I've only caught glimpses of him."

"And?" Wyatt pushed.

The man closed his mouth, withdrawing. Poe pushed the saw into his chest again. "Okay! Okay! Stop!" the man shouted. He took a shaky breath and said, "He's got an accent..."

"Accent?" Flynn asked, raising an eyebrow.

The man nodded. "Yeah...I don't know from where though-"

"Where can we find him?" Wyatt asked again.

Before the man could reply, a bullet blew through the man's skull, splattering bright red blood against the shed's wall. The second the bullet penetrated the man's skull, the sound of the shot echoed around them.

"Sniper!" Wyatt shouted as he lunged for Lucy, pulling her into his arms. He covered her with his body as he shielded her from harm, dragging her behind the shed.

Rufus ducked into cover behind a giant oak tree. Flynn grabbed the back of Poe's shirt collar, dragging him behind the next nearest oak tree. He took his gun out, prepared for battle. They listened for the next shot. It never came. The world had grown silent.

"Is he gone?" Rufus asked back pressed hard against the tree.

Flynn's eyes met Wyatt's. He tensed his jaw as he took a careful step forward. Wyatt shouted at him, "What are you doing? Flynn! Get back!"

Flynn stepped out from behind the tree. Cautiously, he glanced about the area, then extended his vision to the distance. He knew if the sniper remained to take them all down, he would have been shot and killed by now.

Flynn inhaled deeply. "I think he's gone."

They slowly emerged from their hiding place, glancing over at the dead Suit. Wyatt glared at Flynn for his irresponsible behavior. Poe asked, "What do we do now?"

"You should probably stop digging into this murder," Wyatt suggested. "And we should probably get back-"

Poe shook his head. "I'm not going to stop searching for the truth. I do not fear them."

"Maybe you should," Rufus muttered.

Poe asked, "Where will you go now? How do I tell you about my findings?"

Lucy thought for a moment. "Write about them...we'll read them."

Poe nodded once. "I will," he said. After a moment, he asked, "Any word on my wife?" He saw the exchange of varied expressions and nodded. "I suspected as much."

"I'm so sorry," Lucy said.

Poe averted his gaze. "Another reason to continue exposing them for what they are."

"Good luck," Rufus said with a nod.

Poe watched the team walking down the lane until he could no longer see them along the horizon.


	14. A Truth Whispered At Night

Present Day

Agent Christopher watched as the team climbed out of the Lifeboat. She spotted the dried blood on Rufus's shirt. "What happened?"

Rufus announced without glancing down, "It's not my blood."

"Thank God," Jiya sighed, hand to her chest.

"What happened?" Denise asked again, eyes darting between the team.

"A lot," Wyatt remarked. The team took the time to describe and explain everything to Agent Christopher as best as they could.

"So this Mary was really Hazel Drew?" Agent Christopher asked.

Wyatt nodded. "I don't understand why they kidnapped her from her timeline, only to kill her somewhere else."

Lucy cleared her throat. "I'm wondering if she's even the real Hazel Drew."

"What do you mean?" Agent Christopher asked. The rest of the team had turned to look at her, waiting on her answer.

Lucy glanced about the others. "When we got back from that mission, I looked her up...I can't find any records of her anywhere. There were some articles about unsolved murders in that town -"

"Whose murders?" Wyatt questioned.

"The mayor and the Bloodstone agents at the lake," she explained. "But there was no mention of Hazel...no death records, birth records, nothing."

Agent Christopher thought for a moment. "So what happened to her?"

Lucy shook her head. "My guess, after this mission? She was part of Bloodstone from the beginning and everything she told us in Sand Lakes was a facade."

A dark silence overtook the room after her admission. A moment later, knowing there was more to the story, Agent Christopher asked, "What else?"

"We might be able to narrow our search for Reynolds down a little bit," Rufus stated. "One of the Bloodstone agents told us that Reynolds has an accent."

"Do you know what kind of accent?" Agent Christopher questioned. The team exchanged looks, none of them answering the question. Agent Christopher's brow knitted together. "I'm not sure how helpful that's going to be."

"Maybe you should try again anyway," Flynn suggested.

Denise nodded. "Get cleaned up." She glanced at everyone before muttering, "You smell like the sewers."

The team nodded, separating from the common living area.

Wyatt and Lucy entered their room to gather their things for the showers. "You've been quiet," Wyatt pointed out. "What's on your mind?"

Lucy sighed. "I was thinking about something Poe told me when you and Rufus went to Frederica's house."

"Yeah?" he asked, stepping up to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "What'd he say?"

She looked him in the eye, getting lost in the blue. "He ... talked about second chances." She decided not to tell Wyatt the exact conversation but the nature in which it was spoken. She nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I've been unfair to you," she whispered. "I should give you a second chance because we all make mistakes, Wyatt, but I'm hoping we've learned from them."

Wyatt nodded, pulling her closer. "I am so relieved to hear you say that."

"But we can't do this again," she warned him, that teacher like lecture behind her expression. "We have to be honest with one another and we have to stick together, no matter what the circumstances."

Wyatt smiled at her. "You have my word that we will work things out...and I won't be an ass." She raised an eyebrow at him. He added with a soft chuckle, "I'll try to not be an ass."

She smiled, releasing a small giggle. "I should also apologize to you for putting the blame on your shoulders for what happened to Tenley."

"I understand why you did it though," he admitted. "Maybe I am to blame for her disappearance-"

"No," Lucy interrupted, placing a finger on his lips to stop him from continuing. "No more blame. We will figure something out."

He kissed her finger before leaning forward and kissing her forehead. "As long as we're together."

She nodded. "Together."

He saw her smile falter. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her a moment longer. "What else are you not telling me?

She pulled away from him, sitting down on the edge of their bed. "I...haven't exactly been completely honest with you."

He stood before her, arms crossed over his chest. "About what?" She bit the inside of her lip, hesitating. He knelt before her, hands resting on her knees. "You just told me that in order for us to work, we have to be honest with one another...we can't keep things secret if we are to survive." Her dark eyes met his blue ones and he saw the heartbreak that lingered behind the building tears. "Talk to me, Lucy...please..."

She sniffled, blinking the tears back. "Do you remember the mission with Dorothy Lawrence?"

Wyatt thought for a moment. "Yeah...?"

"Do you remember that I didn't go on that mission?" she asked. He nodded and she whispered so softly, almost afraid that the walls were listening, "I stayed behind because... I thought I was pregnant."

"What?" he gasped, eyes widening. "You were..."

She shook her head. "No, I wasn't...but I thought I was." He blinked several times, trying to form an intelligent response but he was struggling. She could see the shock on his face. She continued, "I stayed behind because I wasn't sure and...I ..." Her voice trailed.

"When did you find out that you weren't?" he asked, shaking his head.

"About three days after you returned."

"I don't understand-"

Lucy sighed. "I think the stress of everything finally got to me. I hadn't been sleeping. We had just been dealing with Rittenhouse and then we learned about Bloodstone and..." she put her head in her hands. "I thought about everything - the positives and the negatives of having a child..."

Wyatt grasped her wrists gently, moving her hands away from her face so he could look her in the eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?" His voice was gentle with no judgment.

She held his gaze. A tear running down her cheek. "I don't know. I was afraid of what you'd think - of me, of us, the baby! And I wanted to tell you - I did! But then you learned about Jack being your child with Jessica and the way you reacted-"

"Hey," he cooed. "That wasn't the same at all. My reaction then was because it was Jessica...not you. It was never about you." He understood the reason she kept it from him this whole time. He hadn't been the best of people towards her. He wasn't angry with her but himself for allowing her to feel as though she couldn't come to him over it.

"I have been carrying this secret for so long," she whispered, blinking more tears away. "And when Tenley disappeared, I realized that the future that we had was ripped from my grasp and ... and I just..."

"You were mourning the life of our child," he whispered back, finishing the sentence for her so she didn't have to face the terrifying fact alone. She nodded and he moved to sit on the bed next to her. "Oh, Lucy...I'm so sorry."

He pulled her into a tight, comforting embrace. "I am sorry, Wyatt," she said, nuzzling his neck, sniffling slightly.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," he told her, placing his hand on her cheek. "We have to find a way to talk about everything - no matter how difficult or uncomfortable the topic...do you agree?" She nodded, studying the emotion in his eyes.

Wyatt leaned in and kissed her lips. A wave of familiarity washed over both of them. The kiss was filled with a nearly forgotten desire and renewed flame. They could feel the bond between them grounding them into the foundation of their relationship. They felt stronger together than they had ever felt apart. For the first time in a while, the two were reminded of their strength and knew everything depended on the other for survival.

"I need you to know that I am madly in love with you," Wyatt muttered against her lips before kissing her again. She smiled against his lips. "No amount of time travel will change that fact about me. I'm yours if you'll have me."

Her heart melted, allowing the warmth of his love to take over once more. Her reservations about their relationship drifted away like a leaf on the wind and were replaced with feelings of devotion and love.

They never made it to the shower.

Connor Mason sat at the table in the common living room, an open book before him. He stared at the pages, unblinking. He didn't hear Agent Christopher walk up behind him until she spoke.

"What are you doing?" she asked, peering over his shoulder.

His eyes snapped up to meet her curious gaze. "I was doing some reading."

Denise saw the concern behind his gaze. "Okay..."

He picked the book up, turning it for her to see it better. "Do you see this picture?" He tapped the portrait that took up the entire left page. The image was a beautiful young woman with her hair neatly pulled back into a loose bun, tied with ribbon. She had an elegant high neck frilly dress adorned with a brooch. The girl's lips were full, thin face, wide eyes.

Denise studied the image before asking, "Who is she?"

Mason exhaled. "I've been staring at her picture for a while now and remembering what the team said about Hazel Drew and this...Mary Cecilia."

"What does this have to do with your book?"

"This is The Complete Works Of Edgar Allan Poe," Mason explained. "The last time the team met him, he had written a story called, The Four."

"I remember."

"If this story was written because of what the team did back then," Mason started. "Then I think we should look into it further."

Denise crossed her arms over her chest. "How do you propose we do that?"

Mason closed and tucked the book under his arm. "If I had the proper equipment - computers and access to the NSA network and mainframe - I'd offer to run a facial recognition on the portrait."

Agent Christopher's eyes narrowed. "I'm not understanding-"

"If this woman was a Bloodstone agent instead of the two women she pretended to be," Mason began. "Then it should be in the system, right? I mean, if you recall the information we found on Rittenhouse-"

Agent Christopher held up her hand. She finally caught up to him. "I'll see what I can do." She pointed to his book. "May I?" He passed it over to her.

"Make sure that I get that back, please," he stated. "It's a hard book to find." She nodded and turned to leave.

Rufus was splayed out on the bed he shared with Jiya, staring up at the dirty ceiling. His mind raced with the memory of the old man in the alley. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see the man's tired eyes staring back at him. He could see every crease and wrinkle that lined that man's face. He could smell the moldy blanket, the man's bad breath, and his blood. He could feel the weight of the man's body in his arms.

"Hey," Jiya's voice said, snapping him out of the memory.

He propped himself up on his elbows. "Hey."

"So, it would seem that Wyatt and Lucy have made up," Jiya said a wide smile on her face.

Rufus chuckled. "It's about time."

Jiya's smile started to disappear. "Are you doing okay?" He raised his eyebrows at the remark and she stated, "You just seem distracted."

"I'm sorry," he said. "It's been a long day."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head. "I don't know how..." After a moment's pause, he rambled, "I've killed men before but...to hold someone while they die...that's...that's an entirely different feeling." Jiya kept quiet, knowing that he needed to talk about it on his terms - not with her prodding.

Rufus sighed. "I am just getting so sick of these Bloodstone and Rittenhouse people doing whatever they want and killing innocent people!" He collapsed onto his back again, adding, "And I feel so powerless to stop them."

Jiya gave him a sympathetic glance as she climbed into bed. She nestled up next to him. The two held each other in comfortable silence together.

Flynn found himself back in the infirmary, holding Tenley's hoodie. He sat alone, listening to the sounds of the bunker. There was a low hum coming from the fan but otherwise, it was quiet. He closed his eyes, resting his head on the back of the sofa.

Flynn...

His eyes shot open. Lifting his head, he glanced about the room. He recognized the cadence of the voice. It belonged to Tenley. His heart slammed against his ribs, pulse pounding in his ears as he listened.

When it remained quiet, he whispered, "Nine?"

No response.

His brows furrowed, trying to piece together what he had just heard. He wondered if his mind started to play games with him. He wouldn't be able to take it if that were the case.

Flynn remembered the flood of memories when Rittenhouse had murdered his wife and daughter. He felt their presence whenever he went places - in both this time and other timelines. There were even moments he could have sworn he smelled his wife's perfume, but that was usually when he had been dreaming.

However, this was different. He hadn't heard their voices...not like this. Tenley's voice sounded scared. She seemed terrified - pained, almost. Something wasn't right about the tone of it, the shakiness that came from it.

He closed his eyes again, almost willing to hear it again. He hoped he could hear her voice once more to hear the emotions so he could try and understand what was happening.

Silence.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. He gripped her hoodie once more, bringing it to his nose. Her scent still lingered on it, though fading. He clutched it close to his chest, feeling the tears falling from his eyes.

The bunker alarms blared, startling everyone awake. When the residents gathered at the common living area, Jiya climbed into her chair. She announced, "September 1, 1854...looks like Westminster, London."

Agent Christopher turned to Lucy. "Lucy?"

After a moment, she admitted, "I'm not sure but I do know that there was a massive cholera epidemic taking place around this time."

"Cholera?" Rufus repeated with a heavy sigh. "Why did this mission have to happen when Tenley's gone?"

"Do you think Rittenhouse is trying to make the epidemic worse?" Wyatt questioned. Lucy shrugged, unsure what they'd be doing there.

Denise finally motioned toward the Lifeboat. "Better get going." She watched as the team climbed into the machine.

The hatch closed. The Lifeboat whirred to life and within moments, disappeared from the present.

Agent Christopher smoothed her hair before walking away. She grabbed her things and started to make her way for the bunker's exit.

"Where are you going?" Jiya asked. "You just got here."

"There are some things I need to do," she told her. "Call me if anything comes up."

Jiya nodded aimlessly, watching Denise leave. Glancing over at Mason, she asked, "What was that all about?" He gave a half-shrug, not wanting to admit that he had a suspicion.


	15. The Oath

1854

"What is that smell?" Rufus complained as the team walked down the cobblestone streets of Westminster.

Lucy's eyes scanned the buildings that lined the uneven street. They were the same old brownstone buildings that towered over them, some with shutters that were barely hanging onto the windows. Clotheslines extended from one high window on one side to the other, crossing over the street, old clothes pinned to them. Lucy felt that not much had changed from 1854 and when they came in 1888.

"That smell is most likely the sewers," Lucy explained. "Cholera was a major plague for much of London during this time. It killed well over 10,000 people."

"How worried should I be about catching this?" Rufus asked nose crinkled still from the smell.

"Don't drink the water," Flynn mentioned.

Lucy said, "Given the time, this is probably the beginning of the outbreak. There were reports of it hitting the Soho district on August 31st. It killed 127 people within the first three days of September."

"And we're here on the 1st," Rufus muttered. "Lovely."

"So, what would Rittenhouse gain from this?" Wyatt questioned. "Wouldn't a worldwide plague be catastrophic for everyone?"

Lucy cocked her head slightly. "It's hard to say."

Wyatt grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Let's think about this for a moment. Who would be the biggest targets for Rittenhouse?"

Lucy's lips twitched as she thought it over. "Well, Queen Victoria is the reigning monarch right now..."

"Is Rittenhouse stupid enough to take out the Queen?" Rufus asked, covering his nose with his elbow.

Lucy sighed as she glanced about the square. People were already coughing and sickly. She watched as people were carrying buckets over to the water pump in the middle of the square.

"We better keep moving," Flynn suggested. "Maybe someone will catch our eye."

As they continued to walk by, Lucy watched as the line for the pump grew. She could tell that the outbreak had already started its vengeance on these people.

The team walked into the next neighborhood. The air was cleaner and less offensive to their noses. Rufus inhaled deeply. "I had almost forgotten how nice clean air is!"

The atmosphere where they were standing was cleaner. Even the streets were cleaner compared to the district they had just come from. The residents were healthier than those they'd seen. They walked briskly toward the church up the road.

"Where's everyone going?" Rufus asked. "It's not Sunday, is it?"

"Only one way to find out," Wyatt said, motioning with his hand for them to follow. "Come on."

As the team approached the church, they saw signs plastered on the doors and fences. Lucy pointed to one, reading it. "Looks like they're meeting to discuss the reasons for why people are getting sick."

"Shall we?" Flynn asked, extending his hand out so they could walk before him.

Rufus blinked at him. "I'm not sure that's a good idea," he remarked. "What if Rittenhouse is in there?"

"That's a good reason to be in there, don't you think?" Flynn retorted. "If they are in there, it would help us understand the reasons why."

Rufus groaned. "I hate my job."

The team shuffled up the steps of the church, following the residents inside. Slipping into the back row, they listened as two men stood at the front, almost debating what the causes of this outbreak were.

"I believe that this is caused by the foul air!" one man shouted, turning to address the crowd. "This disease is airborne!" The man wore a freshly laundered and pressed three-piece suit. He seemed almost too clean for the area.

"I disagree!" the second man shouted. "It is more likely due to the filthiness of the water! I am in the process of determining how many people use the water pumps-" This man's suit looked as though he had slept in it for days. He was balding on the top of his head, neatly groomed mutton chops on the side of his jaws. His eyes were intense as he stared back at the first man.

"It is no wonder you haven't stopped it from getting worse!" the first man shouted. "You've been studying water pumps instead of the disease!" The man turned to address the gathered crowd. "Instead of looking at the water, you should be helping the people who are sick and dying!"

The crowds murmured in agreement. The second man shook his head and stated, "Mr. Farr, you and I have disagreed on the cause of this outbreak since the beginning but I beg you to help me research the matter thoroughly!"

Lucy leaned over and whispered to the others, "William Farr was a highly accredited epidemiologist...that's why the people seem to be hanging on his every word."

Farr turned to the other man and shouted, "Your theory is preposterous, John! You're suggesting that the sick and dying take the time to boil their water! No one is going to have the time, nor the energy to follow such a ridiculous claim!" He turned to the crowd again and shouted, "If the cure for such a deadly disease is found from boiled water, then I am a fool!" People's hushed giggles echoed in the room.

John pinched the bridge to his nose before saying, "I need an extra pair of hands to study the water sources! If I can isolate the source of contamination, we will better understand how to treat this!"

Flynn scanned the crowd. There were a couple of people who seemed likely to be Rittenhouse agents the way they carried themselves and how clean they seemed to be compared to everyone else. He kept a keen eye on them.

Farr laughed. "No one believes in your silly theory, John! No one wants to risk their lives!"

The priest standing behind them cleared his throat. "I'll help you, John. We will get started with your experiments right away."

Farr laughed. "You are both fools!"

"Then may the best epidemiologist succeed," John said, reaching his hand out. "Let's see who can discover the cause first."

Farr glanced at the outstretched hand but it wasn't until the crowds murmured again, wondering what he would do before he shook John's hand. "Very well. I'll have this figured out soon." They shook hands and Farr put his hat on, tilting it before heading out of the church.

The crowds began to disperse now that the debate had concluded.

Out of the few Flynn kept his eyes locked onto, only one remained behind. Wyatt noticed Flynn's concentration and saw the individual he had been watching.

The man wore a clean blue suit, pressed and laundered. His hat was a barely used bowler's hat. He slouched forward slightly, unlike the pristine postures most in the church seemed to have.

Wyatt and Flynn exchanged glances before moving toward the man who lingered near John and the priest. Wyatt's hand inched closer to where his gun was holstered under his jacket.

Just as the two stepped out of the row of pews and into the aisle, the bowler hat spotted them. He pulled a pistol from his coat and took aim.

"Get down!" Wyatt shouted as he removed his gun, firing at the man.

Two shots were heard. One came from Wyatt and the other from the bowler hat. As the man fell into the pews, blood-smeared the wood as he hung off the back, Wyatt carefully inched his way closer to make sure he was indeed dead.

Flynn's eyes turned to John and the priest. John kneeled on the ground over the priest's body. He rushed forward, squatting down on the other side of the priest. The man had been shot in the chest. Blood rapidly pooled out onto his chest in a puddle.

The man's eyes were wide, staring up at John. His voice cracked and choked on his blood as he tried to speak. Flynn watched as the blood-filled the priest's mouth, running down out of the corners.

Flynn watched the life fade from the man and his breathing stopped. He reached out, feeling for a pulse. His eyes turned toward John. "He's gone."

John blinked back tears, lifting his gaze to meet Flynn's. "Why did this happen? Who are you?"

Flynn stood up. "We just saved your life."

John bolted to his feet, pointing at the body of his friend. "What about him? Why couldn't you save his life?"

Flynn jutted his jaw out before saying, "Maybe it was God's will-"

"Don't you dare make a mockery of this man!" John spat. "Not here, not now!"

Wyatt holstered his gun, stating, "He's dead."

Lucy approached John. "I'm sorry about your friend...We didn't know-"

John ran his hand through his balding hair. "Why would anyone do this? Why now?" He sighed. "Now what I am going to do? He was going to assist me-"

"Perhaps we could assist you instead," Lucy suggested. "Whatever you need-"

He laughed. "What could you possibly do to help?"

"We just saved you," Rufus reminded him, voice stern.

Lucy shot Rufus a cautionary glance. "My name is Lucy," she said. "This is Rufus, Wyatt, and Flynn."

John nodded to each man. "John Snow."

"From the North?" Rufus muttered, eyes sparkling with an inside joke.

John nodded. "I am from York...how did you know?"

Rufus choked back a laugh. "Just a guess."

John's brows furrowed in confusion. Lucy gave a short exhale. "Where should we start, Mr. Snow?"

John Snow had led the team back to the filthy square they passed by earlier. Several feet away, they could see the water pump people had been lining up to use. He pointed to it and said, "I need to get a sample from that pump. I believe that that is the best place to start."

"Why?" Rufus questioned.

"Because the first several deaths originated from houses not too far from this particular pump," John explained. "It is the only common factor, outside of the illness, the victims share thus far."

The team stared at the water pump. When no one attempted to approach the pump, Rufus stated, "Winter is coming, guys..."

Wyatt chuckled. Lucy rolled her eyes and Flynn averted his gaze, trying to ignore the man's antics. John turned his gaze to Rufus. "So it is but I fail to understand what that has to do with the task at hand."

"I just meant..." Rufus started to say. He never got to finish his sentence as John had started across the square toward the pump.

"What if the other guy..." Rufus started, snapping his fingers to think of the name.

"Farr?" Lucy asked.

Rufus nodded. "What if he's right about the illness being airborne?"

Flynn sighed heavily, gritting his teeth. "He's not. It's a water transmitted illness." He followed Snow across the square.

When he reached the man, John looked up at him. "Fetch me a bucket, would you?"

Flynn glanced about the area, eyes settling on an old wooden bucket. He grabbed the handle, bringing it back. John took it from him and filled the bucket halfway. "This should be a good place to start." He stood up and pointed to the ground around the pump. "This can't be helping either."

The ground around the pump was a cesspool. They could see that raw sewage had begun overflowing from nearby houses and running into the cesspit for the pump. It contaminated the water source with fecal matter that had decomposed into the soil.

Flynn asked, "How did it get to this point?"

John grasped the handle to the bucket. "That is what I intend to find out."

John had brought the team back to his modest home. Scientific tools lined his desk. Lucy smiled like a kid as she looked at the old barometer and compass. She looked at the filled graduated cylinders with wonder.

John spotted her gazing at his workstation. "Please be careful," he warned. "Some of those are quite dangerous." Lucy stood up straight, stepping back from the workstation.

John placed the bucket on the floor, scooping out the water with the ladle. He poured it into a cylinder and began to experiment with the water. His eyes never left his work. "Make yourselves at home," he told the team. "This might take some time."

The minutes dragged into hours. Lucy and Rufus had fallen asleep on the puffed couch together, Lucy's head resting on Rufus's shoulder, his head on hers. Wyatt and Flynn kept a keen eye out for any suspicious activities on the street below or even with John.

Flynn watched John work. He was incredibly focused and determined to discover the cause of the outbreak. As he stood there watching the man at work, he found himself smirking slightly. There were resemblances between how this man worked and how Tenley worked. That focused look on his face was just like Tenley's; the way their lips twisted to the side occasionally.

Wyatt cleared his throat, bringing Flynn out of his thoughts. "We might have company here..."

Flynn walked over to the window, pulling the lace curtain aside to glance at the street below. Approaching the house were two men dressed very similarly to the man with the bowler hat from earlier in the day at the church.

Wyatt turned to Flynn. "Should we meet them downstairs?"

Flynn nodded. As they made their way across the room, John looked up from his work. "What's going on?"

"Someone's coming," Wyatt explained. "Stay put."

Before John had a chance to reply, the two slipped out quietly. Carefully, they navigated down the stairwell to the front door, guns drawn and at the ready.

The sound of the door closing behind the two had woken Lucy and Rufus. Rufus glanced about the small room and asked, "Where'd they go?"

"I have visitors," John replied almost naively. "They're going downstairs to welcome them."

Rufus muttered, "You know nothing, John Snow."

Lucy pressed her lips together, suppressing a small guffaw before asking, "How long have you been waiting to say that?"

"Since our introductions," Rufus answered with a proud smile.


	16. Family Matters

Wyatt and Flynn found themselves in the foyer of the house. They scanned the areas for any intruders. The front door and windows didn't show any signs of forced entry. They stopped moving across the old wood floors to listen. They could hear the faint shuffling of footsteps above them.

Turning to look at Flynn, Wyatt motioned for Flynn to head around the left, while he offered to go to the right. Before Flynn could agree, the floorboard creaked loudly around the corner of the stairwell in the hallway that wrapped around to the back of the house.

Both men whirled around, guns aimed before them. Their eyes landed on William Farr. The man raised his hands defensively. "Wait! Wait! Don't shoot me!"

"What are you doing here?" Flynn questioned, never lowering his weapon.

Farr's gaze bounced between the two. "You're quite jumpy-"

"Answer the question!" Wyatt snapped, grip tightening on his gun.

Farr sighed. "I came to discuss the matter further with Mr. Snow."

"Why?" Wyatt asked. "You didn't seem too interesting in speaking to him earlier."

"Things have changed," Farr admitted with a shrug.

Flynn studied him. He didn't trust the man. "Where's your friend?"

"What friend?" Farr asked. "I came by myself."

Wyatt gave Farr a quick once-over. Farr was still dressed in his fancy suit but he had no hat. He cursed himself under his breath. Turning to Flynn, he pointed out, "The two we saw had hats."

Flynn's eyes ran the length of Farr before meeting Wyatt's again. He whirled back around, glancing around the corner for the two men they had seen coming.

Wyatt motioned for Farr to stay quiet by bringing his finger to his lips. Farr nodded, remaining motionless as Wyatt headed in the opposite direction as Flynn, hoping to flush out the men they suspected to be Rittenhouse.

Flynn's eyes darted about the sparse room, searching for the intruder. The room held a small puffed sofa that sat in the middle of the room, facing the old fireplace. Next to the chipped fireplace sat the rod iron tools for it. Across the room in the opposite corner from the entryway, sat a single wooden chair. The tall front windows were adorned by floor to ceiling brown curtains that were barely cracked open.

Knowing there were limited places for an intruder to hide, Flynn glanced down at the floor where the floor to ceiling curtains hung over the windows, hoping to see the tips of shoes peeking out. As he inched closer, he heard a scuffle behind him.

Whirling around toward the commotion, he stood eye to eye with a large man wearing a bowler hat and brown suit. The man before Flynn raised his gun, pointing it straight at Flynn's face.

Reacting quickly, Flynn grabbed the man's wrist, jerking it to the side. The gun went off, lighting the room briefly, sending the bullet through the window, shattering it into pieces. The sounds of the glass plinking off the wooden floorboards were drowned out by the two grappling for control.

The two struggled for power over the weapon. The larger man used his body to push Flynn backward toward the sofa as they fought for the weapon. Flynn felt the arm of the sofa slam into the back of his thighs. Before he could react, he toppled over the side.

Flynn refused to release his grip on the man and his weapon, knowing the severity of such an action. When he fell, he pulled the man down with him. The two crashed onto the floor and the gun popped out of the man's grip, sliding across the floor of the dark room.

Jumping to his feet as quickly as he could, Flynn took the opportunity to strike first. Flynn kicked the man in the stomach as he knelt on his hands and knees, preparing to stand.

The man rolled across the floor toward the fireplace. Flynn's eyes quickly darted about the dark room, trying to spot the gun. When his eyes focused on the outline of it, barely peeking out from under the curtain, he climbed over the back of the sofa, running toward it.

He could hear the man's footsteps chasing him across the room. He could feel the vibrations on the floor increasing, telling him that he was closing in on him.

Flynn slid across the floor on his knees, reaching for the gun. Once he grabbed it, he rolled onto his back, firing at the man who now stood behind him, arm over his head with the fire poker raised to strike. The shot blew through the man's chest. Flynn fired it again for good measure, watching the man's body slump down to his knees before collapsing onto the old floor, the fire poker clanking on the floor next to him.

Flynn blinked at how close the man was to striking him. He tried to steady his breathing as he stood back on shaky feet. He brushed his hair back once he was upright.

The scuffle in the next room continued. Flynn raced across the foyer into the other sitting room. When he entered, he watched as Wyatt finished his fight with the second intruder. The second Rittenhouse agent laid on the ground, nose broken and bloody as Wyatt aimed the gun at his head.

Breathless, Wyatt asked, "What are you doing here?"

Flynn crossed the room, hand clutching the gun tightly. He stopped just a couple of feet behind the man. He shot Wyatt a quick look, silently asking him if he was okay. Wyatt nodded once in response.

The man spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor by Wyatt's feet.

Wyatt glared at the man. "Start talking."

"Or what?" the man retorted, sniffling slightly.

"I'll do more than just break your nose," Wyatt threatened. "Start talking!"

The man sneered at Wyatt, blood still running down his face.

Wyatt's eyes never left the man on the floor before him. He asked Flynn, "Where's Farr?"

Flynn blinked at the question, turning to glance over his shoulder. He had completely forgotten about that man. He slipped out of the side sitting room to search for him.

Sounds of footsteps descending the stairs echoed loudly into the lower floor. Flynn's eyes darted up to see John rushing down the creaky stairs, Lucy and Rufus close behind.

"I was right!" John announced as he reached the bottom of the stairs. "It's the water! It's completely contaminated!"

Flynn glanced passed the stairs into the narrow hallway. He didn't see Farr lingering about. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he inched closer to the hallway.

"We must hurry," John said, interrupting Flynn's thoughts. "The sooner we can fix the water source, the sooner we can stop this from spreading!"

Flynn watched as John tried to bolt out the front door. He grabbed the man's arm, pulling him back. "Wait a minute!"

Just as he said those words, gunfire rained down onto the building. The gun bursts lit up the evening outside the front of the house. Lucy shrieked, shielding her head with her hands as she darted to find cover. Rufus grabbed her, guiding her to a safe place.

Flynn and John fell to the ground, slinking away from the flying debris from the gunfire. The windows in the front rooms shattered onto the floor. The door became riddled with holes as the wood splinters flew into the air.

In the other room, Wyatt had grabbed the Rittenhouse agent by the back of the collar, holding his gun against his back. He didn't want the man to escape. He shouted over the noise, "Tell them to hold their fire!"

"Why would I do that?" the man spat. Wyatt jerked him forward. The man added, "Even if they were my people, why would they listen to me?"

"You're saying that's not your people shooting at us?" Wyatt questioned.

The man glared at Wyatt. Before Wyatt realized what was happening, the man broke free of Wyatt's grasp and bolted for the door. The gunfire continued to pour into the house, preventing Wyatt from capturing the man again.

The man darted by the rest of the team who were cowered in their cover and threw the front door open. The gunfire paused for a moment, allowing the team to watch as the Rittenhouse agent fled the scene.

"Everyone okay?" Wyatt shouted from his hiding place in the side room.

Flynn's eyes darted to the open front door. He continued to wait for the gunfire to resume but the night had become deathly quiet. He crawled on his stomach toward the others. He could see Rufus and Lucy hunkered down behind the banister of the stairs.

"All clear here," he announced to Wyatt.

Wyatt carefully maneuvered his way over to the rest in the foyer. His eyes met Flynn's. "What was that?"

Flynn picked himself up off the floor, sitting on his heels as he shook his head. "I think it's safe to say that Rittenhouse is trying to stop Mr. Snow from achieving his goal."

"Where's Farr?" Wyatt asked.

"Farr was here?" Lucy asked, suddenly alert.

Flynn shook his head, ignoring Lucy. "He's not here."

Rufus cleared his throat. "Do you think he's part of Rittenhouse?"

The team exchanged glances. "Makes sense," Wyatt admitted.

John finally pulled himself out of his hiding place. "What's Rittenhouse?"

The team turned their attention over to the man. They had no way of explaining it to him. Instead, Lucy asked, "Mr. Snow, now that you know what's causing the outbreak, what do you suggest we do?"

John's face melted into a stunned expression. "I almost forgot about that!" He bolted to his feet. "Hurry! We must go straight away to the hospital!"

The team helped one another to their feet before following the man out of his bullet-ridden home.

The hospital nearby had been overfilled with cholera stricken people. Those who couldn't be placed in a bed were laid on the floor with a blanket - they lined the hallways and even the steps outside. The doctors and their assistants wore masks over their faces, trying to keep themselves from getting sick. The smell of death and the disease struck all the members of the team, including John hard. Rufus had doubled over to throw up.

John choked back the bile in his throat as he ran up the stone steps of the hospital, the team hurried to catch up. The moment John entered the building, his eyes scanned the cramped room. When his eyes landed on the head doctor, he made a beeline over. "Stop what you are doing!"

"I beg your pardon!" the doctor spat. "You cannot come in here and-"

"The water is the source of this illness," John began to say, talking over the man. "You must boil the water before giving it to the sick."

"Boiled water?" a familiar voice laughed behind them. "What a preposterous suggestion, even for you, John Snow!"

"Did he just say, 'you know nothing, Jon Snow' but in an Old English sort of way?" Rufus muttered. Lucy tilted her head slightly, confirming the statement.

Everyone's eyes turned to see William Farr and two men in bowler hats standing close by. Farr shook his head, a smirk on his face. "I'm afraid you'll have to do better than just boiling water if you're hoping to end this outbreak."

"You're correct," John stated. "We will need to close that water pump and dig a fresh well, far enough away from the contaminated section, and install a brand new pump-"

Farr laughed, his fat belly jiggling as he did so. "You're a fool, Snow."

Snow balled his fists together. "I have the evidence to prove it."

Wyatt watched Farr carefully. When John admitted to the evidence, Wyatt pointed out, "But you already knew that, didn't you?" Farr's eyes narrowed at Wyatt. He added, "That's why you showed up at John's house a couple of hours ago."

"You were at my house?" John gasped.

"I wouldn't be too surprised if he was responsible for the attack that took place there," Wyatt stated.

Farr chuckled. "You don't have proof."

Flynn pointed casually to the men behind Farr. "Except they're wearing the same hats as the men who attacked us."

Farr sucked his teeth. "Fine, we attacked you."

The head doctor had been listening to all of this unfold. "Would someone please tell me what is going on here?"

Farr cleared his throat. "This man believes he has found the cure to our deadly outbreak," he said, shooting John a quick, yet stern glance. "I am here to tell you that his mind is filled with fanciful fits of delusion!"

"How dare you!" John spat.

The doctor held his hands up to stop both of them. "Enough! I've not the time to deal with this! Please leave my hospital now!"

Lucy quickly blurted out, "I'm a nurse!" When the group fell silent to stare at her in bewilderment, she swallowed nervously. "I'm a nurse and I have witnessed Mr. Snow's accounts of this disease. He is speaking the truth."

The doctor studied her for a moment before turning his attention back to John. "Show me your findings," he said. "But please, be quick. We mustn't delay." John gave Lucy a quick nod of thanks for leaving with the doctor.

Farr's eyes narrowed angrily at Lucy. "A nurse, you say?" Lucy shifted uncomfortably in her place. "You realize that posing as something you aren't is punishable by death?"

"So what will happen to you?" Wyatt challenged. "Because we know you're Rittenhouse."

The corners of Farr's lips started to turn up into a smile. He turned his heated gaze over to Wyatt. "And what of it? You're too late."

"For what?" Wyatt asked. "What's your plan here? Wipe out London with cholera?"

"Something like that," Farr admitted. "You're too late, you know. The stage has been set and the plan is in motion."

Wyatt's blue eyes narrowed at him. "What plan is that?" Farr smirked, shaking his head. Wyatt added, "You afraid that your plan might still fail or are you bluffing? I'm thinking it's the latter."

Farr spat, "You're too late...We've already contaminated several drinking taps!" He lowered his voice, stepping closer. "We have men on the way to the Queen... it won't be long before all of the water sources here are contaminated. It doesn't matter what he does," he motioned over to John, "because all of London is about to go under."

"Why?" Lucy asked. "What do you gain from killing all of these people?"

Farr laughed. "You don't get it... I guess you're just too far behind the rest of us."

"What are you talking about?" Rufus asked.

Farr cleared his throat. "We will seize control of the monarchy. This is our chance...and for once, you're unable to stop it."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Rufus stated, eyes transfixed on the movement behind Farr and his men.

Farr laughed, belly jiggling again. "I am not falling for such a juvenile trick." John and the doctor approached the group, eyes wide, staring passed Farr and his men. Farr laughed.

The doctor said, "You honor us with your presence." He bowed his head slightly. "What news from the Queen?" Farr whirled around to see some of the palace guards and the liaison for the Queen standing behind him.

"The Queen wished to know the truth of these dire circumstances," the liaison stated, eyeing Farr suspiciously. The team hoped the liaison had overheard Farr's plan

John was quick to speak. "I believe I have found the cause of this illness."

Wyatt added, pointing to Farr and his men, "And these men are trying to spread it. They just admitted that to us not long before you entered."

The liaison's eyes drifted over to Farr. He snapped his fingers and the guards with him surrounded Farr and his men. "We will investigate this further. Until then," he turned back to John. "Please, proceed in your explanation."

The team watched as John, the doctor, and the liaison headed to the table that had been set up much like John's study. John could be seen explaining how he came to find his answers, showing the results through their microscope.

It wasn't much longer before the liaison shook John's hand. They exchanged a few more pleasantries before they looked over at Farr. The liaison nodded, turning from John and heading back to his men. He nodded to his guards, who promptly took Farr and his men under arrest.

Wyatt flashed a half-smirk in the man's direction as they watched them being carted off by the Queen's guard.

John returned to the group. "I owe you all a debt of gratitude. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have been able to save London."

Lucy smiled at him. "What will you do now?"

"Replace the water pumps, clean the sources," he listed. "We will also send out notices to the people, informing them how to clean their water."

The doctor tapped John on the shoulder. "Let us be off."

John nodded, before turning his attention back to the group. "I must go."

The team stood there, watching as John and the doctor left. Wyatt asked, "What happens to him?"

"His health declines and he suffers a stroke in 1858...never recovers," Lucy stated. "But they erect a monument for all of his efforts here where the old pump sits."

Wyatt wrapped his arm around her shoulders, smiling at her. "Let's get the hell out of here."

"Hell yes!" Rufus sighed. "I'm ready to get out of here. I'll probably shower for days."

Lucy chuckled, wrapping her arm around Wyatt's waist.

Present Day

The moment the team climbed out of the Lifeboat, Rufus asked, "Can we discuss this later? I'd like to make sure I get as clean as possible!"

"What happened?" Agent Christopher asked, unsure what his reasoning was.

"Oh, nothing much," Flynn began. "Just reenacting Love in the Time of Cholera."

"I've never read it," Denise admitted. Flynn wasn't surprised.

Lucy started to fill her in. "We met with John Snow who was responsible for discovering the reason for the contamination."

"Winter is coming!" Rufus shouted as he practically raced down the hallway to the bathroom.

Lucy rolled her eyes. Denise asked, "What was Rittenhouse's goal here?"

Wyatt sighed. "Infect everyone and seize control of the crown."

"You can't be serious?" Denise scoffed. "Did they succeed?"

Lucy shrugged. "I'd have to do some research to be sure-"

"Yeah," Wyatt added. "I should check in with Tenley and make sure that we're all safe from contamination." The room fell deathly silent by Wyatt's statement. His eyes darted around those still in the room before recognition washed over his face. "I...completely forgot...I honestly felt like she was standing here."

Flynn swallowed his retort. He felt the same as Wyatt. Something was lingering in the air that just made him believe that Tenley had been standing in the room with them.

Denise nodded. "Get cleaned up. I'll see what I can find out about your risk of exposure."

The team broke off from the main living area, dreaming of hot showers. Denise watched them as they left. For the first time in quite a while, Lucy and Wyatt were back to their old lovey-dovey selves, walking together, holding each other.

Flynn seemed distracted still. She knew it had to be about the missing doctor. She wanted to provide some kind of reassurances to him but there was nothing she could do. She hadn't experienced nor knew what had taken place when the doctor vanished. There was no rulebook to guide her on the matter. Even Mason had nothing to offer up in support, let alone theories.

Flynn couldn't shake this feeling that hung around him like a cloud. There was that undeniable air that made him believe that Tenley was back. It was a gut feeling - one he simply couldn't push from his mind. The fact that Wyatt had felt the same way didn't help matters. He and Wyatt rarely saw eye to eye on things.

He turned and pushed the door to the infirmary open. His heart dropped into his stomach when he found it empty. His tired eyes scanned the room one more time, hoping that she had been standing in the corner and he simply missed her upon first glance. The dark cloud started to loom overhead as he realized that she wasn't back where she belonged.

1942

"Miss?" a muffled voice spoke out in the darkness. "Miss?"

There was a heaviness pushing down her body. Dust and dirt filled her lungs, causing her to cough heavily. She groaned as she felt the weight lifting from her body.

"We got a live one over here!" the voice shouted, no longer sounding far away. The hands were back on her, gently grasping her arms. "Are ye all right?"

Slowly, she opened her brown eyes, blinking as they adjusted to the bright daylight. Her head was throbbing. There was a slight ringing in her ears that began to fade away. She blinked a couple more times, coughing the dust out of her lungs.

The man knelt before her, helping her sit up. His dark eyes narrowed on her brow, studying the wound she had. He glanced down the rest of her body. "Are ye hurt?" The woman opened her mouth to speak but her voice hitched. "It's okay... we'll get ye out of here, don't ye worry."

He waved to some men off to the side. The woman glanced at the men before her. They were wearing matching light green uniforms. She saw the American flag patch on their arms. Two of the men had red cross bands around their opposite arms and on the bags that hung from their shoulders.

They slipped their arms under hers and helped her to her shaky feet. "Where am I?" she whispered, braving the question.

When they arrived at the awaiting Jeep, the man who found her helped get her situated in the front seat. "Ye're going to be all right," he told her, accent thick as he spoke quickly. "I promise that we'll get ye out of here and back home."

Her mind raced as she tried to think of where she was. Then a terrifying realization struck her to the core. She didn't know who she was, let alone where she was from.

The man saw the fear creep up on her expression. He reached forward and gently grabbed her face with his calloused hands to stare into her eyes. She studied his features. His thick brown hair fell across his high forehead, lingering just at the brow. His cheeks bore stubble from unshaven days. "I know ye're scared but I will do everything I can to get ye home." He leaned forward and whispered, "To yer own time."

The woman blinked at him, confusion more apparent. He offered a small smile as he jumped into the back of the Jeep and the driver took off.

The ride in the Jeep didn't take long but in the mind of a person who had no idea what was going on, it felt like forever. When the Jeep stopped, the man in the backseat hopped out, helping the woman climb out. He led her into an old church.

There were more men with red crosses affixed to their uniforms bustling to and fro as they helped wounded men in the same uniform. The woman realized that the church was a makeshift hospital in the middle of a warzone. Her mind raced again, trying to remember who they were at war with and what year it was.

Once inside, the man with the accent knelt before her again. "I'm sorry we didn't find ye sooner," he whispered. "There are others who-"

Before he could finish his sentence, a female voice behind him spoke up, "I thought I told you to stay out of this."

The two glanced up to see a beautiful woman in the same green uniform. Her red hair cascaded down her shoulder in a large braid. The freckles on her face were prominent against her pale features. A sour expression lingered on her face as she glared down at the man. "She belongs to us."

The woman glanced between the fiery red-headed woman and the accented man who helped her. She didn't understand what was taking place.

The man shook his head. "I'm the one who found 'er-"

"We told you to stay out of it," the woman repeated sharply. "What do you think they would say about your interference?"

The man turned his back to the red-haired woman, kneeling back before her. "Listen," he whispered. "Don't forget who saved ye on this day."

"Where are you going?" the woman asked, suddenly afraid.

He gave her a short smile. "No far, I promise ye that." He gave her a quick wink before standing up once more. He muttered something to the red-haired woman before he left the church.

The red-haired woman examined her. "Do you remember me?" The girl shook her head. "I'm Emma. I was sent to look for you."

"Emma?" the woman repeated. The name felt familiar to her but she couldn't remember why. "What happened to me?"

"What do you remember?" Emma asked, studying the girl. The expression of annoyance still lingered on her face. It was evident that she didn't want to be there.

She shook her head. "Cold...dark...being all alone. Waking up in the rubble...coming here..."

Emma gave her a sympathetic smile before reaching her hand out. "I'm here to bring you home."

"Where's home?"

"I think your mother would like to explain that to you."

"My mother?" Her head was beginning to swim with the information that was coming at her.

Emma nodded. "She'll explain everything to you."

The girl reached out and took Emma's hand which was chilled to the touch, as she stood up from the cot. "I...I just don't remember..."

Emma led her out of the church and down the lane. "She's going to be quite happy to see that you're alive. We were all very worried about you." The emphasis on the word 'very' created a sense of unease in the woman's mind as she walked beside Emma.

The two turned into a caved-in building. Sitting amongst the rubble was a big white ball with a door in the middle, blue lights illuminating the rings around it.

The girl gasped. "What is that?"

"Your ride home," Emma stated, boredom dripping from her voice.

The door opened and another woman emerged from the machine. She hopped out and rushed forward, embracing the girl tightly, who grew rigid from the sudden gesture. "Oh! I'm so glad to see that you're okay!"

The woman's blonde hair was neatly curled and slightly pinned back. Her blue eyes shined down at the girl. She kissed her cheek and said, "Let's get you home."

The girl hesitated. "Who are you?"

The woman smiled warmly as Emma brushed by to get into the machine behind them. "I'm Carol Preston - your mother...and I'm so very happy that you're alive, Amy."


	17. At Last, It Is Time

Present Day

The team gathered around the computer Jiya sat in front of. She typed madly at the keyboard. "It doesn't make any sense..." she muttered to herself.

"What's happening?" Agent Christopher asked.

Jiya sighed, motioning to the screen confused. "It's saying that the Mothership jumped back to 1942, just hours after we returned from rescuing Flynn..."

"Why would they go back there?" Wyatt asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Flynn's brows scrunched together as he listened.

Jiya shook her head. "I don't know but they're not there anymore."

"Where'd they go?" Agent Christopher questioned. "How long were they there for?"

Jiya tilted her head slightly. "They were there for about five or ten minutes before leaving again."

"That's about how long they'd need to drop someone off-" Wyatt started.

"But why would they drop someone off?" Lucy questioned. "We've already been there..."

A pregnant paused overtook the room. Denise asked, "You said they're not there anymore?"

Jiya nodded in confirmation. "They're back in the present."

"Keep an eye on their activity," Denise stated. "I want you to come find me the moment they leave again." Jiya nodded, swiveling in her chair to watch Agent Christopher as she left.

The team started to leave the main area, questioning why Rittenhouse would return to a place just days after they left. Flynn's mind raced as he tried to make a connection. Something felt wrong and he couldn't put his finger on why.

When the alarms in the bunker rang again a couple of hours later, Jiya's head was cocked in utter confusion. "Uh..." she smacked the computer once with an open hand. The screen briefly shook from the impact.

Mason cringed. "Hey! Let's not break the machinery-"

"What's wrong?" Agent Christopher asked, glancing down to see the confused Jiya readying her hand to smack the computer again.

Jiya lowered her hand as she stated, "It says they've gone back to June 12, 1942, but to Amagansett, New York this time."

"1942? Again?" Rufus muttered. "Talk about an obsession..."

"Maybe the system's glitched-" Jiya began.

"No!" Lucy blurted out. "Let me think..." After a moment, she snapped her fingers together a couple of times as though the answer sat on the tip of her tongue. "This was about the time for Operation Pastorius!"

"Operation what?" Rufus asked, brows furrowed.

Lucy didn't hesitate. "A group of Nazi spies infiltrated the beaches of the Hamptons-"

"Wait, what?" Rufus muttered, head shaking slightly. "Why didn't I know about this?"

Lucy opened her mouth to reply but Agent Christopher interrupted, "You can learn about it on the way." She looked about the team. "Be careful."

The usual group rushed to climb into the Lifeboat. The hatch closed and locked before they vanished from sight.

1942

New York

The Lifeboat landed in the grassy knolls of East Hampton. The team glanced about the fields. The beach grass blew against the wind, creating waves to the eye. Seagulls hovered in the breeze overhead, calling out to one another loudly. The fresh sea air was a welcome change of pace from their previous missions.

The team began hiking toward the quaint seaside town, keeping their eyes open for easily accessible clothing for the time period. As they walked, Rufus asked, "So, why is it that I don't remember ever learning about this in school?"

Lucy's head bobbed to the side quickly. "There's a lot of our history that they don't teach in schools."

Flynn cleared his throat. "Sarah Tarrant, for example."

Rufus scoffed, a slight shiver went down his spine as he remembered their encounter with that woman. "I swear, I think she was the sleeper."

"What were these guys doing here anyway?" Wyatt asked, eyes darting about the surrounding area, making sure they weren't being targeted by Rittenhouse or Bloodstone. "It doesn't seem like a place that they'd want."

"You're right," Lucy stated with a short nod. "This was simply their drop-off point."

"Drop-off?" Rufus repeated. "So, you're saying the Nazis brought them here on purpose?"

"In a submarine, yes," Lucy clarified. "They were very well organized."

"So, what happened?" Wyatt asked.

Lucy sighed, thinking over the details before continuing, "They were spotted by a Coast Guard the night they stormed the beach-"

"When - tonight?" Wyatt interrupted. Lucy nodded. Wyatt sighed, shaking his head. "Do you think Rittenhouse is here to help them succeed?"

Flynn chimed in for the first time since the history lesson began. "We need to find this Coast Guard. If Rittenhouse is hoping to help these men succeed in their mission, I'm concerned about this soldier."

Wyatt nodded in agreement. As a soldier himself, he wanted to make sure this man was protected. It was part of who he was - to protect his fellow brothers-in-arms regardless of the time period. "What do we do in the meantime?"

Rufus pointed to an elaborate little beach house with clothes pinned tightly on the clothesline, blowing gently in the wind. "What we always do - find clothes and steal a car...except, you know...without the car part..." His eyes darted to the others. "Right? No car stealing this trip...right?"

Present Day

"What do you remember?" Carol Preston asked, sitting across the metal table from Amy. Amy's brown eyes drifted to the shiny tabletop as she thought. Carol smiled encouragingly at her. "Let's start with the most recent memory and work our way back." She reached forward, covering Amy's hand with her own, squeezing it gently in a reassuring manner.

Amy inhaled deeply before admitting, "I remember getting up this morning. I..." her voice paused for a moment. "I got dressed and you came to get me...brought me in here to talk."

"Good," Carol said, a warm smile still on her lips. "What about last night?"

Amy cleared her throat. "I remember...the...woman..." Amy's face contorted as she struggled with the details.

"Emma?" Carol offered.

Nodding, Amy said, "I remember Emma bringing me to see you at the..." Words were failing her. She couldn't think up the proper words to even begin to explain her thoughts.

Carol nodded encouragingly again. "The Mothership?"

Sighing out of frustration, Amy nodded. "She found me and brought me to see you. We got into the Mothership and you brought me here...where I slept."

"And before that?"

"I woke up in the rubble-"

"I meant before that."

Amy blinked rapidly at Carol before her eyes drifted off in thought again. "I was alone...cold... afraid...surrounded by darkness."

Carol studied Amy's face, a sadness washed over her features. She offered a small smile of comfort, squeezing her hand once more. "You're safe now."

Amy's eyes met Carol's. "What about the man that found me?"

"What man?" Carol asked, brows furrowing together.

Amy said, "There was a man who found me and brought me to the church-"

"Don't worry about him," Carol said, waving the comment aside. "He's one of mine."

"I wanted to thank him-"

Amy didn't get a chance to finish her thought as Emma appeared behind Carol, clearing her throat to announce her presence. "Everything is set."

Carol turned in her chair to face Emma who stood in the doorway. "Are you sure?"

Emma nodded once, lips pursed to the side, clearly frustrated by the question. "They're in 1942 as planned."

"1942?" Amy repeated, confused.

Emma ignored Amy but still glanced at her briefly. "We waited until they showed up before leaving."

Amy shook her head. Too many thoughts and questions were swimming around inside. Her head started to ache as she tried to keep up.

"Good," Carol replied. "We have a small window. We need to act fast."

"What's going on?" Amy questioned, glancing up to meet Emma and Carol's gaze.

Emma scoffed as she saw Amy's 'deer in the headlights' look. "Are you sure she's ready to do this? We only have one shot at this."

"Do what?" Amy asked, eyes wide.

Carol gave her a sympathetic smile. "I hoped to tell you this when your memory came back-"

"Tell me what?" Amy demanded, glancing between the two women. Emma smirked before turning and leaving them alone.

Carol reached forward again with both hands to grasp Amy's. Amy withdrew, placing her hands in her lap as she stared at Carol.

With a heavy sigh, Carol pulled the folder that sat on the corner of the table forward, opening it up. She pulled the top picture from within the folder and passed it forward. The photograph was of Carol and a beautiful woman with dark hair, a gorgeous smile that reached her brown eyes. There was a sparkle behind the woman's eyes as she stared at the camera. The two were embracing one another lovingly. They seemed happy.

Amy shook her head, not recognizing the other woman. "I don't understand...who is this?"

"That's your sister, Lucy," Carol stated, voice filled with sadness. Amy's eyes darted up to watch Carol as she continued, "Lucy was murdered shortly after this picture was taken."

"What?" Amy gasped, eyes darting back to the photo. "Wha- I...how-"

Carol replied, "There was an accident when she was a teenager...car accident." Amy's breathing hitched as Carol continued, "She was driving home one evening after class at the university and her car hit a patch of oil on the road, sending her into a nearby river. The police determined the accident was intentional."

"Who would do such a thing?" Amy balked.

"We have our suspicions," Carol replied, a sad smile on her face as she stared at the image. "However, what you don't know, is that she died in that car that night...trapped..." Carol's voice broke, tears streamed down her face. "I'm sorry..." She took a deep breath before adding, "We were hoping that you had recovered from your mission but the timing has forced our hands-"

Amy's brows knitted together. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

Carol leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table. "We need you to go back to that night and save your sister."

Amy fought the urge to blink. She knew if she did, the tears would flow. Her stomach balled into knots at what was said. "What can I do? I'm not-"

"You would have a small window to help her out of that car," Carol told her. "And you're the only one who can do this."

Amy seemed confused by the words as she tilted her head. "A small window-"

"We can't go back to a time where we already exist," Carol explained. "You weren't born yet when this happens." Amy blinked at the remark, opening her mouth to counter that when Carol interrupted her, "You'll be going with Quinn."

"Who's-" A familiar face appeared behind Carol in the doorway, stopping Amy's words. Amy's heart skipped a beat as her brain tried to catch up. "You..."

"Hello again," he smiled at her. The man standing behind Carol, smiling warmly at her was the very same man who had brought her out of the rubble that fateful day.

The man stood a couple of feet taller than Amy with nearly perfect posture. He seemed to be about her age, yet seemed wiser somehow with the way he carried himself. His dark eyes lingered on her, almost studying her and stripping through all of her layers to see the deepest and darkest secrets hidden within her - even the ones that were hidden from herself. His shaggy dark brown hair was neatly combed back in a professional manner. His dark suit hugged his frame, showing the subtle muscles underneath.

Amy held his stare, feeling a mix of emotions flooding through her being. She forced her eyes to break the hold he had on her as she turned her attention back to Carol. Carol asked, "Are you okay with this?"

Amy blinked at her, eyes wide with uncertainty. "I still don't know what it is you expect me to do-"

Carol pressed her lips together, growing slightly frustrated. "Quinn will escort you back to the time of the accident. He's going with you to protect you from harm-"

Amy's brows knitted together, mouth falling agape. "Protect me from what?"

"The ones that were sent to kill your sister," Carol replied, voice sharp. "He will make sure you can reach your sister and pull her from the car. Once you get her out of the car and safely out of the river, you must return home."

Quinn cleared his throat. "Don't ye worry. I'll make sure ye get there safely." He gave her a quick wink and sly smile. Amy felt the butterflies growing in her stomach but confusion washed them away. She felt weird about his interactions with her. She had a lingering feeling as though she were betraying someone close to her and she couldn't explain why.

"Do you have any other questions?" Carol asked, standing up from the table. Amy shook her head and Carol turned to whisper something to Quinn. He nodded and Amy watched her mother walk away.

Quinn gave her a half-smile as his gaze returned to her. "Are ye ready to go?"

Amy swallowed nervously as she stood from the table. She wasn't ready - not by a long shot - but she felt this desperation to save her sister's life. Even though she had no idea what was expected of her, she knew that her sister needed her.


	18. A Curious Tale

1942

Lucy led the team down the road to the Coast Guard station. The building was an old brick building with a bell tower style addition on top. Pointing to the building, Lucy stated, "This is where the Coast Guard set up their post. That addition on the roof overlooks the majority of the beaches here."

"So why didn't they see these guys coming?" Wyatt asked, staring at the building as they continued down the road toward it.

"They stormed the beach further down plus the heavy fog covered up the rest," Lucy replied, motioning in the general direction. "They had help from someone before they arrived, who buried supplies, clothes, explosives, money-"

"Do you remember who?" Wyatt questioned.

She shook her head. "I don't think they ever uncovered that."

"You don't think?" Wyatt repeated, turning his gaze toward her.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Even though I know about ninety percent of our missions' history, there are moments where I don't."

As the team walked by the station, Rufus asked, "Why not tell them now where to find these men?"

"Well, one of the night patrolmen find them on the beach," Lucy began. "He rushes back to the station to raise the alarm..."

The team reached the beach and stared out across the clean white sand and blue water. The fog from the morning had started to lift. In the distance, they could see a thunderstorm moving on and some distant fishing boats rocking against the waves.

Flynn's eyes darted about the few residents that were walking along the shoreline. They were going about their day as if nothing were out of the ordinary - blissfully unaware of the approaching dangers. He glanced behind them to see the empty road they walked along moments ago, completely void of people.

Flynn turned back to the team. "I'm just going to throw this out there," he began quietly. "Does something feel off to you?"

Rufus's head snapped up. "I was just going to say that."

Wyatt's eyes darted between the two. "Off in what way? What are you two talking about?"

Lucy shook her head, her hair bouncing off her cheeks. "It makes sense why Rittenhouse would be here... we just need to find out where they are." Rufus and Flynn exchanged looks. Flynn jutted his jaw out slightly as he followed Lucy and Wyatt along the beach.

Flynn's eyes drifted down as he watched Wyatt reach out and grasp Lucy's hand, interlacing his fingers with hers. Memories of old washed over Flynn as he recalled his wife's hand in his. His heart ached as his mind brought him back to Tenley.

Rufus saw the gesture at the same time and turned to Flynn. "They seem cozy again." Flynn gave him a quick side glance but remained silent. Rufus sucked on his teeth before saying, "We'll find a way to get her back."

Again, Flynn remained silent. His eyes lifted to study the dunes and beach grass. The air felt lighter somehow, almost as though all of his problems had been lifted and he had no reason to worry anymore. It was a strange sensation when he knew there were so many things eating away at him. He began to wonder if he was finally accepting that Tenley was gone and she was never coming back. The thought sent a cold shiver down his spine.

Lucy and Wyatt stopped in their tracks. Lucy pointed to a broken down fence within the sand up ahead. "Do you see that sign? The one on the post there with the shorts?" The sign she pointed to had one nail still holding it up at an awkward angle. There was a pair of men's shorts hanging off the top portion of the wooden sign.

Wyatt nodded, unimpressed. "Someone left their swimming trunks, so what?"

Lucy blinked at him. "For starters, those kind of swimming trunks weren't around until much later-"

"Okay," Wyatt interrupted her. "I get it...it was a poor choice of words on my part-"

Lucy gave him a curt nod before moving off of the timeline of proper fashion for the times. "If my memory is correct, that's the marker for the..." she lowered her voice in case anyone was listening, "Nazis... to find their supplies."

"Right here in the open?" Rufus gasped.

Wyatt shrugged. "Sometimes it's the things right in front of us that is hardest to see." When the team stared at him in disbelief, his eyes darted between them. "What? It's true." Lucy gave him a small flirty smile as she turned back to the marker.

"What do you suggest we do here?" Rufus asked. "Should we get the Coast Guard and let him know?"

Flynn furrowed his brow, shaking his head. "And how would you explain to them that we knew about the buried cache?"

Rufus opened his mouth to retort but a voice speaking behind them silenced him. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"

The group turned to see a pair of men standing a couple of feet behind them. They wore identical Coast Guard fatigues. They stood at attention before the group. Lucy realized that they were part of the patrols for the beach.

The older of the two smiled at her. "The day turned out to be quite fair, didn't it?"

Lucy smiled in kind. "We were very fortunate that the storm decided to move on."

"Quite," the other man said, nodding in agreement. He eyed the others before turning his attention back to Lucy. "Ma'am, we have an obligation to ask but...are you all right?"

Flynn's eyebrow raised, glancing at the others to see their reactions. Rufus shifted uncomfortably, raising more suspicions and Wyatt seemed almost offended that they would assume such a thing.

Lucy laughed it off as she replied, "Oh, I'm fine. This is my husband, Wyatt," she placed her hand on his chest, tapping it gently before adding, "and my older brother, Flynn." Their eyes darted over to Rufus. She said, "And our neighbor, Rufus."

"I had a dog named, Rufus, once," the first man stated with a smile. "It was a good dog...until it got hit by a car."

Rufus blinked at the remark, casting his gaze to the sand on his shoes. He really hated history.

The soldiers held Lucy's stare for a moment longer before nodding. "Well," the one started, tipping his hat at her. "Have a good evening."

The second added, "And please, remember the curfew."

"Of course," Lucy said, smiling warmly at them. "Thank you."

They watched as the men marched through the sand, heading back to the station. Wyatt scoffed, "What is it with people in history thinking we're always the suspicious ones?"

"Because we usually are?" Rufus quipped. Flynn tilted his head to the side, nodding slightly in agreement. They did stick out like sore thumbs.

Wyatt turned to Lucy. "Curfew?"

Lucy nodded. "They instilled a curfew during the war...it's how they found the spies."

Rufus cocked his head to the side, thinking. He shook his head after a moment. "What are we doing here?"

Wyatt and Lucy glanced over their shoulders at him. The confusion was clear in their expressions. Flynn, however, seemed to be questioning the very idea of being here as well.

Wyatt cleared his throat. "Trying to stop the Nazis from infiltrating our borders."

"But..." Rufus started. "We haven't even seen any signs of Rittenhouse here. Or Bloodstone, for that matter..." He sighed. "I just don't understand why we haven't seen any signs of them around...not even here where the supply drop is."

Wyatt's face shifted as he realized that Rufus was on to something. He glanced about the shoreline, scanning the people heading home. "What if the Coast Guard that finds the spies is the sleeper?"

Lucy shook her head. "According to history, he ran back immediately to sound the alarm."

"And then?" Wyatt asked.

"The spies take off, spooked, and buy bus tickets to take them to their final destination," she replied.

"Final Destination never ended well for those people," Rufus muttered. Wyatt rolled his eyes at the reference, had it not been a serious moment, he would have laughed.

Flynn put his hands into his pant pockets. "This has a different feel than some of our other missions," he stated. "Who's to say that this isn't another one of those distractions?" He turned his gaze quickly to Rufus and asked, "What about that pen you gave me back on the Britannic?"

Rufus sighed, shoulders dropping slightly. "Unfortunately, we had to do a bit of modifying on it...it wasn't working properly after-"

Wyatt tossed his hands up slightly. "What are you saying? We should just abandon this?"

"You want to stay?" Flynn asked.

"We're here," Wyatt countered. "Might as well make sure that we see this thing through."

"And if we're wasting time? Being set up again?" Flynn started. "Allowing Rittenhouse ample time to do what they please without us interfering?"

"It's a risk we have to take!" Wyatt hissed, voice rising.

Lucy raised her hands between the two. "This isn't the time for this fight! We need to get off the beach...we have to make it out of sight before curfew."

As they trudged through the sand, Rufus muttered, "This is a terrible idea. Where's Future Jiya when we need her?"

2002

Amy and Quinn exited the Mothership into the evening light. Glancing about, they had landed in a small grassy clearing within a dark woods. The stars were shining brightly overhead, the moon illuminated the dark, giving the illusion that street lights were lining the nearby country road.

Amy's eyes scanned the woods. Crickets and cicadas were loudly singing within the dark. She could make out the sounds of rushing water and knew the river had to be on the other side of the road, opposite of them. Scanning the road as they began their approach, Amy noticed there hadn't been a car since they emerged from the time machine.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" Amy asked, glancing over her shoulder at Quinn. "It's really quiet out here."

Quinn turned his dark eyes over to meet hers. He could see her defenses building. He calmly raised his hands. "I won't let anything harm ye. I give ye my word." He turned his attention back to the road as they neared it. "Carol was very adamant about the timing of this accident."

"How does she know all of the details though?" Amy questioned. "It just feels...odd."

Quinn studied her as they climbed up the embankment to the road itself. He stood up, brushing his hands off from gravel when his eyes held hers.

Amy reached out for Quinn, her eyes locked onto something in the distance. "Quinn," she whispered. She nodded over in the direction she had been staring.

He glanced over and spotted three men up ahead. Their car had stopped in the middle of the road, headlights illuminating the space before them. In front of the car, two men were pouring a liquid from a container onto the road.

Amy gasped, "Is that the oil?"

Quinn quickly turned toward her. He motioned to the opposite end of the road. "Wait over there-"

"But what about-"

"The river is on that side," Quinn told her. "If yer sister hits that oil slick before I can stop her, ye'll need to save her, remember?" He gave her a quick sympathetic smile before turning his attention back to the stopped car in the vacant road. "I'll deal with them."

Before Quinn could leave, Amy reached out and grabbed his elbow gently. His eyes darted back to her. "Please be careful," she whispered, fear creeping up on her expression.

His lips twitched as he nodded. She released her hold and he ducked back into the shadows of the woods, heading for the car and the men that belonged to it.

Once she couldn't see him any longer, she ran across the road, sliding carefully down the side of the ditch. The river raged passed her a few feet from her as she sat there waiting and listening for the unexpected.

Her eyes watched the water carefully. The bright light from the moon reflected off the water, creating a shimmery effect on the surface. It highlighted the natural debris that floated downstream as it passed her.

As Amy sat there, her head throbbed painfully for a quick burst before it went away, almost as though she had been stabbed in the temple with an ice pick. She gasped out as it happened, her eyes flew shut until it passed. Her breathing increased as she slowly opened her eyes again, trying to understand what had just happened. When the pain returned for another short burst, a strange memory flashed before her eyes. She could see herself clawing to get out of a raging river, holding onto a fallen tree. She even saw a shadow of someone coming for her with outstretched hands.

The pain dissipated and the sound of gunfire up above her on the road blew the memories away. She found her back pressed firmly against the embankment, praying that she wasn't about to get shot.

Tires squealed against the pavement above. The sounds of a car engine revving filled the air in the once quiet night. Then the sight of a car crashing through the metal barriers could be seen. She watched as the car plunged into the raging river, sinking halfway before the engine died and the lights flickered out.

Amy's heart threatened to break her ribs as she pushed herself to her shaky feet, bile rising to her throat. Blinking at the sinking car, she could make out the silhouette of someone inside struggling to open the door, hand pounding on the window. The water level was rising quickly inside the cabin.

She tried to swallow her nerves but a hard lump formed, seizing her ability to think clearly. She remembered why she was there and forced herself toward the car. Two steps toward the vehicle, Amy's head exploded with pain, sending her to her knees. She grabbed her head, grimacing as she tried to stop it.

Forcing herself to crawl toward the car, she hissed in pain, struggling to ignore it. She crawled into the cold river, reaching for the door handle. She pulled at it and found it locked. Knowing that she was running out of time, she felt around under the water in search of a rock of substantial size.

Her fingers sunk deep into the muck and mire under the cold river water. The moment her knuckles slammed into a jagged rock, scraping the flesh away from her fingers, she pulled at it until the mud freed its hold. She turned to the car window, shouting, "Watch out!"

Holding the large muddy rock above her head, she threw it at the window. The rock crashed through, shattering the glass pieces into the river. The water flooded into the cabin of the car.

Amy slumped back to her knees, feeling the cold river water around her body as she pulled the woman from the inside out through the broken window. The moment the woman was freed from the sinking car, Amy's head exploded in pain, making her see white.

She collapsed onto the bank of the river, clutching her head as she cried out in anguish. Face contorted with pain, she glanced over to the young woman panting for air next to her. Amy held the woman's eyes for a brief moment. She looked just like the photo Carol had shown her.

Before the woman could ask if she was okay, Amy had pushed herself quickly to her feet, forcing herself to seek out Quinn. Her head pounded with each step. She clawed her way out of the river embankment.

Another car had stopped and the driver rushed to Amy's side. "Are you all right?"

Amy pointed down to where her sister remained. "She needs help..." The man brushed by her and slid down the side of the river to help Lucy. Amy took the opportunity to stumble across the street into the dark woods on the opposite side.

She fell to her knees, struggling to see straight as her world started to turn unfocused. "Quinn?" Fear gripped her chest tight as she used a nearby tree to return to her feet. "Quinn?"

Twigs snapped somewhere behind her. Whirling around to defend herself, Amy felt the world spin. She held onto the tree, begging her vision to sharpen.

"Amy!" the cry of the familiar accented voice sounded nearby.

Amy stumbled toward the direction of Quinn's call. When she pushed by a thicket of shrubs, her eyes narrowed onto the familiar frame of Quinn, slumped against a large tree trunk. The moonlight showed the extent of his more severe injuries, even within the darkness. She gasped as she took in the sight of him.

She knelt before him, reaching out carefully. "Oh my god, Quinn..."

He had been beaten bloody but that wasn't the worst of it. His cheeks were cut from his ears to his lips. She could even see a couple of bleeding wounds in his side - knife wounds from what she could tell at first glance.

"Quinn," she whispered again, voice shaking as she took in his injuries. "What..."

He motioned to the bodies around him. "They put up a good fight, yeah?"

She hadn't even noticed the bodies until he said something. She had been too focused on him. "Let's-" her words halted in her throat as the pain in her head returned.

Quinn's eyes widened as he watched her distress. "We need to get ye out of 'ere...now!"

"Why?" she asked, clutching her temples. "What's happening to me?"

"I'll explain on the way," he groaned, motioning for her to help him to his feet. The two stumbled back toward the Mothership together.

1942

Due to the watchful eyes of the Coast Guards stationed at the beach, the team headed back to town to create the illusion they were following the instilled curfew. Once they were far enough away from the station, they circled back around for the beach, remaining mindful of where the Coast Guard soldiers would be patrolling.

The empty beach at night had a completely different aura surrounding it. The evening light created a darker atmosphere that added to the tension of the situation.

The wind blowing across the ocean and onto the shore was cold, wrapping around the team like a blanket. They hunkered together behind a sand dune, keeping their eyes focused on the buried cache a couple of yards away from them.

"What are we going to do when we see these guys?" Rufus asked, crossing his arms for warmth. "Kindly ask them to go home?"

Wyatt's lips curled into a smile as he glanced over at the man. "How did Poe put it? 'How do you know unless you ask'?"

Rufus grumbled under his breath at the quote. "Pretty sure you're slaughtering that one..."

Flynn shook his head. "I'm more concerned that we haven't seen a single Rittenhouse or Bloodstone agent during our entire trip here."

"Maybe they're waiting for the spies to show up?" Wyatt retorted. "It's better to wait and see than leave prematurely."

Flynn's eyes drifted over to Lucy, who remained wrapped in the warmth of Wyatt's arms. Her nose and cheeks had reddened from the cold. She glanced up to meet his gaze but quickly averted them. She didn't want to admit that what he was saying was true. He couldn't blame her since she and Wyatt had just started to see eye to eye again.

"This would be a great time for Future Jiya to show up," Flynn remarked.

Rufus's head snapped up as he shivered in place. "I was thinking that earlier!"

"Look," Wyatt sighed. "If things progress like it's supposed to, we'll head out of here...no harm done-"

"Excuse me?" a voice boomed behind them. The team whirled around shocked as they were face to face with a night patrolman. "You're all in violation of the curfew. You'll have to come with me." The man was about Wyatt's size. His frame carried a bit more heft to it than Wyatt's did. His green eyes scanned the group of them, hand on his hip near his pistol, almost preparing for resistance.

Lucy's eyes widened. "Uh... we... are ... um."

Flynn had never seen Lucy taken by surprise like this before. He cleared his throat, stepping forward. "We work for the FBI. We've been notified that there was a German submarine near this beach-"

"FBI?" the man repeated. "If you're with the FBI," he paused to glance at Lucy and Rufus. "Then I'm a Four-Star General."

"He's telling you the truth," Wyatt chimed in. "We can't leave yet-"

"Do you have badges or something?" the man asked.

Flynn gritted his teeth. He had yet to go to a different time where people didn't ask them for proof of who they said they were when they said they were undercover. He sighed as he looked at the man. "We can't carry our credentials around with us while tracking enemies to our country-"

The man narrowed his eyes at Flynn. Flynn stared back, knowing the next words to follow. "You don't sound like you belong here-"

"He's our international ally," Wyatt interjected. "Look, you're about to blow our cover-"

The man's eyes drifted behind the team. His brows furrowed together as he stared at something in the near distance. "What the..."

Glancing over their shoulders, the team spotted movement in the water. A small inflatable raft hit the beach and four men hopped out. Lucy turned toward the man. "Go back to your station and raise the alarm!"

"They're probably just lost fishermen-"

"They are not fishermen," she told him sternly. "Please - they are Nazi spies. You need to raise the alarm!"

"How do I know that you're not the spies?" the man questioned. "Or helping them-"

Lucy sighed heavily. "Fine...you want proof that we are who we say we are?" She shook her head slightly as she began, "Your name is John Cullen. You are 21 years of age-"

Cullen's eyes widened in shock. "How do you know my-"

"The FBI knows everything," Wyatt chimed. "Look, there's a hidden cache here with explosives and other supplies...but you're going to need backup. Go back to the station and raise the alarm. Get your men here as quickly as possible before they head out! We'll hold them off for as long as we can."

Cullen blinked at them before nodding. "Of course...of course! I'll be back!"

The team watched as Cullen scrambled off the dunes and sprinted down the dark road to the station.

"What do we do about our spies?" Rufus asked. "He's not going to be back any time soon." Rufus motioned to the fleeing Cullen.

"The station is only half a mile away," Lucy explained. "He'll be back all right... and these men will believe they have time to dig up their supplies."

Flynn's eyes scanned the dark shores. The fog had started to cover the area, making it difficult to see into the distance. "Not to repeat myself but we still haven't seen a Rittenhouse agent."

Wyatt turned to face Flynn. It pained him to admit it but he nodded in agreement. "Something tells me that you and Rufus were right. Maybe this was a setup."

"But why?" Lucy asked. "It makes sense why they would come here-"

"Maybe that's what they wanted us to believe - why they chose this setting," Wyatt said. "Maybe this is a distraction so they could pop into another timeline and not worry about us being on their tail for once."  
Lucy glanced back over her shoulder to where the spies were deflating their boat on the edge of the shore. "So, what do we do? Leave and hope that our presence here didn't disrupt things?"

Wyatt could see the hidden desperation behind her eyes. She needed to make sure that they saw this through. He gave her a reassuring nod. "We need to stay until Cullen shows up."

Flynn's lips twisted with disapproval but he remained silent. He shook his head slightly, feeling like this was a waste of precious and valuable time. Rufus had scoffed at Wyatt's remark as well but knew it was pointless to argue with the soldier. Once Lucy and Wyatt were on the same page, it was almost impossible for them to change their opinions on the matter.

Wyatt grabbed Lucy's hand, tugging her along to the other side of the dune. "Let's find a better spot for now while we wait." Rufus and Flynn followed them over the sandy dune, laying down to peer over the top.

The spies had disposed of their boat and swimming gear. They were marching through the sand to the location of the hidden cache. They pointed to the marker and spoke in German to one another.

Lucy glanced over her shoulder to the road, praying that Cullen and his men would materialize within the fog. So far, the road remained dark and empty.

The spies took the shovels that were left leaning against the post and set to digging. The sounds of them digging echoed in the night. Lucy closed her eyes, trying to regulate her breathing. She could feel her heart beating against her chest, afraid that the spies could hear it as well.

After five minutes of digging, the shovels struck metal. Speaking in hushed German, they pulled out the large box from the sand. As they opened the lid, whistles blew, alerting everyone to the Coast Guards' sudden, yet timely appearance.

Orders for the spies to raise their hands and to get on the ground echoed across the beach. The spies exchanged confused glances as the Coast Guard surrounded them. With raised hands, the spies were stripped of their sidearms before being cuffed.

Cullen marched up the sand dune and spotted the team. He nodded his thanks to them as he approached, hand outstretched. "I'm sorry it took longer than it should have," he said. "My commander wasn't sure if I was pulling his leg or not. It took him hearing that a couple of FBI agents were on the scene, willing to give him credit for him to march his men down here."

Lucy smiled. "Of course. I'm just happy you made it in time before we had to get involved."

Cullen chuckled. "Me too..." he whispered, leaning forward. "This is a promotion for me."

"Well deserved," she whispered back with a wink.

Rufus watched as the spies were led back to the station. "What's going to happen to them now?"

Cullen gave him a half-shrug. "Probably incarceration."

"Really?" Rufus remarked, stunned.

Cullen blinked at him. "They're on American soil now, so we'll do right by the way of justice."

Rufus opened his mouth to retort but caught the look of Wyatt who simply shook his head, silently pleading that he stay out of it.

Cullen shook their hands once more before following his men back to the station with the spies.

Flynn rested his hands on his hips as he watched the group disappear into the fog. "Let's get the hell out of here."


	19. Drifting

Present Day

"So we decided to stick around to make sure that nothing was too impacted by our presence there as it already was," Lucy explained to Agent Christopher.

Denise nodded as she listened. "That was a smart decision."

Rufus asked, "I have to ask...is this something they teach in schools?"

Agent Christopher shook her head as she crossed her arms. "No but it is mentioned when you go through training for any government program..." she glanced between them. "It's well known that the FBI managed to discover and contain the threat as the spies infiltrated our shores..."

"Of course..." Rufus sighed. "It's always someone else taking credit."

Denise suppressed a smile. "Get yourselves cleaned up."

As the team went their separate ways, Rufus stopped next to Jiya and Mason. "Have you had any luck repairing the pen transmitter?"

Jiya shook her head. "It was pretty badly damaged after the Britannic," she started. "But we are making some progress on it. I've been tweaking with the schematics-"

"You've been doing what?" Mason interrupted her. His face seemed shocked to hear her admission. "Why is this the first that I am hearing about it?"

Jiya's face flushed red as she realized her excitement had gotten her into trouble. "Nothing too severe," she muttered.

"I want to look at what you've been doing with your tampering," Mason told her as he began to walk toward their workstation. Jiya shot Rufus a look of 'help me' before following Mason, like a child heading to the principal's office. Rufus shrugged at her helplessly as she left the room.

Rufus meandered down the hallway toward his room, ready to change clothes. As he rounded the corner, Flynn spotted him. He nodded to him as he tried to walk by.

Flynn asked, "Any luck on the transmitter?"

Rufus stopped to turn back around, facing Flynn. "Jiya said they're still working on it. Guess it got pretty beat up on the Britannic."

Flynn nodded aimlessly. He knew it had to be from the water that sloshed upon him and Tenley during Rufus's timely rescue back then. He sucked his teeth before saying, "Yeah, sorry about that."

Rufus shrugged. "Machines and water are bad bed-fellows."

Flynn watched as Rufus started to leave again. "How long before it's working again?"

Rufus halted his step, sighing. With a shrug, he confessed, "I don't know. Jiya's working on it. Mason wants to be in control...it's hard to say."

"Because," Flynn added, stopping the annoyed Rufus once more. "We could have really used it on this mission."

Rufus rolled his eyes before continuing toward his room. He didn't need to be lectured by Flynn over the transmitter. He knew how important it could have been on the mission - on any of their missions. He also guessed that Flynn was still frustrated by Tenley's disappearance.

Rufus entered his room and grabbed a change of clothes. He paused, thinking about whether he should help Jiya and Mason with the transmitter or not. He knew that Mason wouldn't appreciate more fingers in the pot.

His mind wandered back to the warnings that Future Jiya had given him. There were too many distractions caused by Rittenhouse and Bloodstone lately. He was trying to wrap his mind around how they were so far ahead of them when the memory of the journal that Mason kept locked up in his room came to him. He needed to get his hands on that journal.

She wanted me to read that book, Rufus kept telling himself as he quickly changed clothes. He started to work himself up for the task of sneaking into Mason's room to steal the book. He wanted answers - he needed answers. They all did.

Amy's eyes slowly opened to a brightly lit room. She blinked a few times, allowing herself a chance to adjust to the sudden brightness that filled her small room. She paused, trying to remember what had happened. She remembered helping Quinn into the Mothership and returning home but she didn't remember going to her room.

She sat up, throwing her legs over the side of her cot. Placing her elbows on her knees, she held her slightly achy head in her hands. She thought hard over the details but found herself struggling. Sighing, she sat up straight and noticed her left wrist was bandaged. She touched the gauze gently. She didn't remember getting injured. She sighed, shaking her head.

The door to her room creaked slowly open. Amy's eyes darted up to see Carol poking her head inside. When their eyes met, Carol pushed the door open fully, stepping into the room, with a soft smile on her lips. "You're awake."

"What happened?" Amy asked, fingers still caressing her bandaged wrist.

Carol crossed the room and stood before her, hands in her pant pockets. "You saved your sister." After a moment, she asked, "Don't you remember?"

"Can I see her?"

Carol shook her head sadly. "Unfortunately, that's a bit complicated-"

"Where is she?" Amy asked, voice growing shaky.

Carol sighed. "I promise I will explain everything when I can-"

"Where's Quinn then?" she interrupted.

Carol sighed. Her face showed a mix of emotions. "He was badly hurt during this mission-"

"Is he okay?" Amy asked, standing up, panic in her voice rising. "Where is he?"

Carol held her hands out to calm Amy. "He'll live but he's going to be in the infirmary for a while-"

"I want to see him-"

"Amy-"

"No!" Amy snapped. "I need to see him!"

Carol's hands fell back to her sides, shoulders slumping in defeat. "Fine," she sighed. "But I have to warn you...it's not pretty."

Carol escorted Amy into the infirmary and into the small private room where Quinn rested. She gasped as she took in the head-wrap that covered the majority of his face, sans his eyes, nostrils, and mouth.

His dark eyes fluttered up to see her standing in the doorway. "Yer alright," he managed to say, sighing a breath of relief, his tense body posture relaxing significantly. "I was wondering."

Amy turned to Carol, voice low as she asked, "Mind giving me a minute?" Carol nodded, turning and heading down the hallway. Amy entered the small room and sat in the chair next to his bed. "What happened to you?" Quinn's eyes glistened, showcasing just how much pain he was in, despite his stoic front. Amy studied his face and asked, "When's the last time you got any pain meds?"

Quinn blinked at her with a slightly stunned expression. "I don't know," he admitted with a little scoff. "I've been in and out most of the day."

Amy's eyes narrowed on him as she thought for a moment. She stood up from her chair, reaching for his IV drip that hung behind his bed. She checked the label that was affixed to the outside, reading what they were giving him. Her eyes drifted down the plastic tubing and she realized that someone never opened up the release clamp. She rolled the clamp open and the IV drip started flowing.

She sat back down, holding his hand gently in between hers. "You should start to feel better in a couple of minutes."

He sighed heavily, closing his eyes as he steadied his breathing. "Thank ye."

She twisted her lips in thought for a moment before asking, "What happened?"

Quinn's eyes opened slowly. He turned toward her. A wave of emotions washed over him before he decided to answer. "We managed to get home in time."

"In time for what?"

"Ye were in danger-"

"What do you mean?" Amy asked, confusion written on her face. "In danger of what?"

Quinn blinked at her before turning his dark eyes back to the doorway of his room, almost expecting someone to walk through it. He whispered, "Yer not safe here." He turned back to her. "Ye can't trust any of 'em."

"What aren't you telling me, Quinn?"

His tongue darted out, briefly moistening his lips. "They're lying to ye, Amy. The pain ye felt on that mission?" She nodded, listening intently. He continued, "That only happens to those who go back to a time where they already exist."

Amy blinked a couple of times, face contorting in confusion. "I don't understand - I mean, why would they lie about that?"

"Because," he said, lowering his voice. "They're using ye."

Amy's eyes darted back and forth in thought, her mind racing with the possible reasons for why Carol would do such a thing. "So...Lucy..."

"She was in danger, yes," he began, knowing where her thoughts were heading. "Ye saved her...from them."

"Who's them?" she pushed.

"Rittenhouse," his voice was barely a whisper. Concern remained on his face, clear as day, eyes darting back to the door - almost in fear that someone was listening.

Amy tilted her head at him. "Rittenhouse? Like the park in Pennsylvania?"

He smirked slightly. His voice dropped even lower as he admitted, "There's an uprising in the works."

She shook her head slightly. "Uprising?"

"There's a war coming, Amy," he whispered. "Rittenhouse has to pay for what they're doing."

"What are they doing?" she asked. "I don't understand-"

He cleared his throat, leaning back into his bed. "Ah...I can feel the meds working." His body began to relax noticeably.

Amy studied his calm face a moment. "What will happen to you, Quinn? What will they do to you?"

He smiled, opening his eyes to gaze back to her. "Ye worried more about me than yerself."

"You're deflecting," she told him sternly as she tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.

He lifted his chin in her direction, eyes lingering on her bandaged wrist. "What happened to ye?"

Her brows knitted together. "It didn't happen on our mission?"

The sudden shift of emotion in his eyes told her that something was very wrong. He opened his mouth to speak but never had the chance. Carol cleared her throat as she entered his room.

Amy glanced over her shoulder as Carol said, "Amy, we have to go now."

Amy tore her eyes away from Carol and back to Quinn. His eyes remained locked on Carol, his features were hard. She could see the anger and hatred behind his dark eyes. She whispered, "I'll come back to check on you."

He gave her a small nod to let her know that he heard her but he remained silent, eyes fully trained on Carol.

Amy stood up and followed Carol out of the infirmary and back the way they came. Amy chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment before clearing her throat. "What happened to my wrist?"

Carol's eyes drifted down to the bandaged wrist before admitting, "You were hurt when you returned from your mission. We fixed you up. Don't you remember?"

Amy kept quiet as she followed Carol down the halls of the building they were housed inside. She realized that Quinn told her the truth. She couldn't trust them, especially if they were lying to her regarding her injury.

Amy didn't have a chance to dwell on the matter as Carol brought her back to the large room that held the Mothership. Her eyes darted about the group of two, plus Emma standing before it waiting.

"What's going on?" Amy asked, eyes lingering on the three people staring back at her, even longer on Emma who sneered at her.

Carol turned to her. "I need you to go with them on this mission."

"What mission?" she asked. "Why me? I don't think I'm quite ready to-"

Carol offered a warm, comforting smile as she gently grasped Amy by the shoulders. "I know you're scared and confused," she started. "But we need your help on this one."

"Help with what?" Amy asked. "Does this have anything to do with where Lucy is?"

Carol's head dropped to her chest slightly as she sighed. "Look...I wanted to tell you when you were a bit better-"

"I am not going on any more of your missions until I know what happened to my sister!" Amy demanded, pulling away from Carol. "You sent me back there to save her! I think I deserve to know the truth!"

Carol turned to the others and held a hand out, silently asking them to give her a minute. She motioned off to the side and Amy followed her. Carol warned, "This might upset you - which is why I wanted to wait." She pulled a folder off of the bookshelf nearby. She dropped it onto a nearby table and flipped it open. She removed a photo, turning it around to show Amy. "But you're so stubborn, much like your sister...This is Lucy now."

Amy looked at the picture. Lucy was dressed professionally in a green blouse and black blazer, standing before a classroom of people, lecturing. She seemed happy.

Carol pulled another picture from her folder and passed it over. "These people," she started. "Took your sister from us."

Amy's eyes drifted over the image of the others Carol had passed over. There was a serious-looking woman of Indian descent with dark hair, brushed straight, wearing a pantsuit. She was speaking to a couple of other men in suits. "Who is this?"

"She's from Homeland Security," Carol stated simply as she slid another image over. "This man is Connor Mason. He built the machine that we're using. He used to be a part of our group, but Homeland Security turned him against us." She pointed to another image she slid over with two people in the center. One was an African-American man with a goatee, wearing a gray hoodie and he was holding hands with a Lebanese woman with long beautiful black curls and bright wide dark eyes, both holding coffee cups from some local shop. "Those are some of Connor Mason's engineers, Rufus and Jiya."

Amy shook her head, opening her mouth to ask another question when Carol pushed another picture forward. This one had two men with guns drawn. Their clothes were uniforms that Amy didn't know the origins of. The shorter man had short blond hair and piercing blue eyes, while the taller man had darker features, both sported chiseled jaws and intense stares. "These two are Wyatt and Garcia. They are very dangerous men..."

Amy found herself unable to tear her eyes off of the images before her, even though her head was swimming. For whatever reason, she felt a sense of familiarity with them, almost like she knew them personally. Carol stated, "They ripped your sister from our grasp. We don't know if she is still alive or not-"

"How did this happen?" Amy interrupted mouth agape. "What do they want with her?" She shook her head slightly, trying to make sense of the information she was given.

"She's one of us," Carol explained. "She's Rittenhouse royalty - like you," she added quickly. "They understand her importance to our cause." Carol walked around the table, pulling Amy into an embrace. "It's why we need you to go on these missions. If Lucy is there, you're the only one she'll listen to - the only one she knows. You can bring her home, Amy."

Amy pulled away to look Carol in the dead in the eye. "What am I supposed to do? I'm not a fighter-"

"You were once," Carol reassured her. "You will be again, I'm sure. But as the saying goes, 'if you fall off the horse, you need to get back on it again'." She released her hold on Amy and added, "And right now, we need you to get back in that time machine and help us with our next phase."

Amy blinked at her, head spinning with all of the new information and expectations of what they wanted from her. "Help with what?"

"They'll fill you in once you get there." Carol walked back to the table and started putting the images back into the folder. "I hope you still like trains."

Rufus tiptoed stealthily down the empty hallways toward Mason's room. He was determined to slip into the man's room and find that journal that Future Him had given to the team - the same one that Future Jiya ordered him to read.

As he poked his head around the corner, silently humming the Mission Impossible theme in his mind, to see if anyone was awake, the bunker alarms blared, waking everyone up. Rufus scoffed, leaning his forehead against the wall. "Really?"

The doors to the rooms opened and the team started to shuffle out into the halls. Rufus spotted Lucy and Wyatt exiting together, appearances disheveled. Wyatt's hair splayed out in random directions and his face seemed flushed, a tint of red lipstick smeared on his mouth. When Rufus's eyes bounced over to Lucy, he noticed that she was using her fingers as a comb as she smoothed her black locks out. Her face was also flushed and her lips were pink and puffy, slight lipstick smear in the corners. Rufus would have laughed at the sight of them had he not been frustrated at his own failed personal mission.

The group gathered in the main living area as Jiya turned to face them. She announced, "Jersey City, New Jersey. 1864."

Lucy's head tilted in thought. "I...am not sure..."

"I'll tell Agent Christopher where you're heading," Jiya told them. "Be safe, okay?" Her eyes were on Rufus as she spoke the last part. She meant it for everyone but she could sense something wasn't quite right with Rufus.

The team nodded as they approached the Lifeboat. Rufus felt Jiya pull at his arm. He glanced over at her and she kissed him, whispering, "I love you."

He smiled at her before turning and climbing in the Lifeboat behind the others.

Jiya and Mason watched from a safe distance as the machine whirred to life before disappearing within time and space. The blast of cold air whipped around them, leaving the two alone in the bunker.


	20. Occurrence Of A Moonlit Night

1864

The team found themselves inside an empty coal depot after the Lifeboat landed. The inside of the depot was covered in black soot residue from just having been cleared out of the rocks. The dusty air caused them to choke and cover their mouths and noses with their sleeves. The hour was late as the sun had set long ago. The sounds filtering into the depot were a mixture of train and boatswain whistles from somewhere in the distance.

The team approached the main door to the depot, pushing them hard, only to discover that they were locked from the outside by chain and padlock.

"What do we do now?" Lucy asked, using her sleeve to cover her nose and mouth.

Rufus's eyes scanned the depot. He could see some large windows near the catwalk rafters, allowing natural light to filter inside. He turned back to the team to mention it when Wyatt removed his gun to aim the locked doors. "Whoa! Wait!" he shouted, holding his hands up. When he had everyone's attention, he added, "You remember that bullets ricochet, right?"

"Do you have a better idea?" Wyatt asked impatiently.

"Yeah," Rufus replied, brows raised. "How about not getting shot by the friendly stormtrooper fire?" He shook his head and pointed to the windows. "We could just climb out of here."

Wyatt blinked at him, holstering his gun. With a shrug, he said, "That works, too."

The team climbed up the metal steps to the rafters, glancing out the large windows. The dirt streets below were empty and there was no one in danger of surprising them. They pushed the windows, which were amazingly still unlocked, open and slipped out into the cool night.

Lucy wasted no time in scanning the area for inspiration on where they were. Her eyes landed on a sign for the train station. She waved the men over and said, "There's a train station up ahead. We might be able to find some unclaimed luggage to change our clothes."

They followed Lucy's lead as she led them to a small booth just off the main track, filled with a variety of luggage and carpet bags that remained behind. They took a couple of them back to an empty alley to search through and change. They had been fortunate to find everything they needed within the two they selected at random.

Once they had gathered themselves, Lucy stared at the train station. Her expression told the others how deep in thought she was, clearly trying to determine if their mission involved the trains or not.

"Lucy?" Wyatt asked, standing next to her. "What are you thinking?"

She shook her head, tearing her gaze away from the awaiting trains and passengers. "I don't know...I mean, I'm not sure..."

Flynn gritted his teeth, turning to scan the train yard. As his eyes drifted along the crowds of people, his heart skipped a beat and his stomach dropped as he spotted a familiar face. He took a couple of steps toward the busy station, eyes darting about the people in line to board, hoping to catch the glimpse of her one more time. He had recognized that curled red hair cascading down the black dress instantly and he hoped to see it once more to be certain.

"Flynn?" Wyatt hissed quietly. "You listening?"

Flynn couldn't tear his eyes from the train. "We have to get on that train."

"What are you talking about?" Wyatt asked. "Haven't you been listening to a word-"

"Emma is on that train." Flynn started walking forward.

Wyatt grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Wait a minute, did you say Emma?"

Flynn glanced over his shoulder. "I'm following her," he told them, shrugging Wyatt's hold off. "You can do whatever you want to...but I'm going to ask her some hard questions."

Lucy's wide eyes stared after Flynn as he marched toward the train alone. Without speaking another word, she lifted the skirts to her striped red dress and jogged to catch up with him.

Wyatt and Rufus exchanged glances before rushing to rejoin the group.

The platform to board the train was overcrowded. People were trying to purchase last minute tickets for the sleeping cars from the conductor. Everyone had squeezed onto the small entrance's platform. The team huddled together to keep from being separated. They felt the elbows and hands pushing into their bodies as they grouped with the mass of people.

The conductor tried as hard as he could to get people into the cars in decent time before the train pulled away from the station but found himself overwhelmed by the number of people. Lucy could feel elbows digging into her side painfully as she turned to scan the group of people around her, hoping Emma wasn't standing behind her.

Her brown eyes locked with a familiar profile on the opposite end of the platform. She gasped involuntarily as she recognized Robert Lincoln within the crowd. His back was pressed against the railcar as he waited in the group of people trying to board the train.

Lucy couldn't help but stare at him. She knew that his father, Abraham Lincoln wouldn't be assassinated by...well, Flynn, until a year later. Lucy recalled the memory of seeing him at the Ford's Theatre when the team had tracked Flynn there and felt the color rising in her cheeks. He was still as handsome as the day she met him, with the same bushy mustache and neatly combed brown hair.

Just as she was about to say something to the others, the train lurched forward, inching its way along on the tracks. The jolt had caused Robert Lincoln to lose his balance and slip. Lucy's eyes widened in fear as the world seemed to almost slow down.

Robert Lincoln's face mirrored the fear on Lucy's. As he started to fall between the railcars of the moving train, another man reached out and grabbed the collar of his black coat, pulling him back to safety. Robert's hands grasped his chest near his heart and a nearby rail as he turned to face his rescuer.

Recognition washed over Lincoln's face as he stared at the man holding his collar. Mouth agape, he gasped, "That was a narrow escape, Mr. Booth! I am grateful and indebted to you!"

Lucy's brows knitted together before her eyes locked onto the man behind Robert. She blinked at him, realizing that the man who had saved President Lincoln's son was, in fact, Edwin Booth - John Wilkes Booth's older and more famous brother.

The older Booth just nodded curtly before turning to his friend. "Shall we continue inside, Mr. Ford?"

Lucy's eyes snapped over to the man with Booth. She recognized him immediately to be John Ford, the man who managed the Ford's Theatre. The moment of history she was witnessing slammed into the forefront of her memory hard. She had completely forgotten about the encounter until this moment as she watched it unfold before her eyes. Her mind raced with reasons why Rittenhouse would be here - were they here to take out Robert, Ford, or Booth? Perhaps all three? She struggled to understand the relevance.

"Lucy?" Wyatt asked, breaking her focused stare on Robert. She glanced over her shoulder to see Wyatt holding his hand out to her. "Let's go."

Robert's eyes hadn't left Edwin Booth since he boarded the train. He seemed to be in a state of gratitude from his near-death experience or complete star-struck of having seen the famous Booth brother, Lucy couldn't tell which.

Wyatt turned to face her. "What's wrong?" His eyes lifted to scan the corridor of the train. He could see it on her face - something was wrong.

Lucy lifted her eyes to meet his worried gaze as he studied her expression. "I just watched Edwin Booth save Robert Lincoln's life."

"What?" Wyatt gasped in shock. "When? Out there?" He motioned to the platform they were on moments ago. His face paled as the realization struck him. "Are they supposed to be here?"

She nodded aimlessly. "It happened so fast, I-"

Wyatt grasped her hand, pulling her toward the others. When he nudged her into the seat across from Rufus, he sat down across from Flynn. "Lucy's figured it out."

"I didn't say that-"

"Just tell them what you told me," he encouraged her.

Lucy twisted her lips, showing she was both flustered by whatever she had seen earlier but also showcasing her frustration with Wyatt at the moment. "When we were on the platform trying to get on the train, Robert Lincoln was saved by Edwin Booth-"

"Wait, Robert Lincoln?" Rufus repeated. "President Lincoln's son? From before?" She nodded and Rufus's eyes bugged out as the second part of her sentence struck him. "Booth? As in - "

Lucy nodded again. "That's right... As in John Wilkes Booth's older and more successful brother..."

"They're both on this train?" Rufus asked, in disbelief. "Why are they both on this train?"

"That's not all," she said, lowering her voice. "John T. Ford is accompanying Booth-"

"Who?" Wyatt asked, interrupting her.

Flynn rolled his eyes. "John Ford... as in Ford's Theatre?"

Wyatt and Rufus's expressions mirrored one another. They were sitting back against their seats in a state of shock. Wyatt asked, "Tell me this isn't a coincidence?"

Lucy shrugged. "From what I remember, Booth had no idea who Robert was. If he did, I'm sure he would have told Robert how much of a supporter he is to his father-"

"What?" Rufus gasped. "But John Wilkes-"

"Wasn't," she added, nodding quickly. "I know."

Wyatt asked, "So... why are they all on this train? What does Rittenhouse want with them?"

Lucy shook her head. "They're on the train going to different locations, I think. Robert's on break from Harvard, heading home to visit his parents and Booth...well, I think he and Ford are heading to their next theatre for whatever production he's in..." they could see that Lucy was trying to remember the specifics on which play they were doing at the time.

"So, you're saying that this truly was just a strange coincidence?" Wyatt asked again. Lucy shrugged.

Rufus shook his head. "Then why is Rittenhouse here?"

Flynn had been distracted during much of their conversation. His heart was racing as he contemplated getting up and searching for Emma. He wanted to know why Rittenhouse was even here, much like his fellow teammates but he also had questions of his own - questions regarding Tenley.

"Flynn?" Lucy said, breaking his thoughts. His eyes lifted to meet hers. She studied him, concern written on her face. "Are you all right?"

His expression had darkened considerably and it showed. Rufus averted his gaze off of the man and muttered, "You look like the villain you were years ago."

Flynn glanced at him from the corner of his eye, remaining silent. He hadn't realized that his grip on the arms of his seat was tight, making his knuckles turn white. He hadn't noticed that his leg was bouncing in place, almost as though he were trying to remind himself not to go seat-to-seat searching.

Wyatt could see how close to the edge Flynn was. He calmly said, "I think we need to figure out why Rittenhouse is here...we know there are at least three potential targets." Wyatt shifted slightly in his chair. "We should try to narrow it down."

Rufus glared at Wyatt. "How do we do that?"

Wyatt tilted his head. "We'll wing it."

Rufus groaned. "The last time you said that we went in guns blazing-"

"We'll wing it," Wyatt repeated, a smirk on his face. "It'll be fine."

In another railcar, Emma sat across from Amy. She studied the girl for a moment. Breaking their silence, she pointed out, "You seem distracted."

Amy's brown eyes drifted up to meet Emma's green ones. Emma's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Sorry. I've got a lot on my mind."

Emma's jaw jutted out slightly before she asked, "Want to talk about it?" Amy shook her head, turning to look out the window at the dark silhouettes of trees passing by. Emma sighed, "Well...I can't force you to talk but I know things that you probably want answers to." Amy glanced at her from the corner of her eyes. She remained quiet, guard still up. Emma smirked, shrugging slightly. "That's your choice," she said. "Just stick to the mission-"

"And what is that?" Amy finally asked, turning to stare at Emma, voice growing tense. "No one has told me what the mission is."

Emma blinked at her, unfazed by the tone. "We're here to meet with one of our contacts."

Amy's brows furrowed together. "Contacts?"

Emma nodded curtly. "Someone who's been working for us behind the scenes." She paused, chuckling slightly as though she had just told a joke. Amy raised an eyebrow at her antics, lost on the humor. Emma added, "Sorry, that was an unintentional pun."

Amy's expression remained confused. "I'm sorry, I don't understand-"

"Mind if I join you ladies for a moment?" a man asked.

The two glanced up to see a tall man standing over them. His dark hair was slicked back, his mutton chops were long and unruly against his long face. His full lips were curled into a knowing smile. His sunken gray eyes held a darkness within them that immediately put Amy on edge.

"Oh, Mr. Ford," Emma said, voice bordering on amusement. "You'd honor us."

Amy turned her gaze back to Emma, who wore a sarcastic smile on her expression. Amy glanced between the two. It took her another moment to realize that this was the contact they were sent to meet.

Mr. Ford sat next to Emma in the car. He smiled wide at Amy as he studied the length of her. Amy shifted in her seat uncomfortably. Emma suppressed her smirk as she turned to the man next to her. "What updates do you have for me?"

Ford's eyes drifted off of Amy to Emma. "We've had a few bumps in the road but I suspect things will continue as planned."

"And his brother?" Emma asked.

Ford turned his attention back to Amy. "Maybe we should have this conversation privately."

Amy's brows twitched as she glanced between the two. Emma leaned forward slightly. "Perhaps you should take a small walk? Freshen up, even."

Amy blinked at her, lips parting slightly as she realized they were kicking her out of the car. "Fine...I'll be back later."

"Lovely meeting you," Ford called after her as she closed the door to the booth. His eyes still lingered on her through the glass window of the door until she walked away from them.

Amy turned her gaze down the corridor in both directions. To her left, the corridor was silent, no one walking about. To her right, she spotted a tall thin man pacing, hand running through his brown hair, almost in contemplation. She chewed on her lip before slowly approaching him.

As she neared the man, his eyes lifted to meet hers. "Oh, sorry," he said, slinking off to the side of the corridor. "I didn't realize that I was blocking the path."

She shook her head, a polite smile gracing her lips. "You aren't." He smiled at her and she asked, "Are you all right?"

He blinked at her, stunned that she had asked the question. "I...I'm well."

Amy studied his expression before pointing out, "You don't look well."

He chuckled uncomfortably. "Am I that obvious?"

For the first time in a few days, Amy smiled a true smile. "I apologize for being so forward but it seemed like you could use a friend."

Her smile was mirrored in his expression as he extended his hand toward her. "Robert Lincoln...and you are?"

She slipped her hand into his. She could feel the warmth behind his gentle grasp. "Amy." He kissed her knuckles before releasing her hand.

"Amy, a beautiful name," he repeated. "What city are you heading to, if I might be so bold?"

"I don't know, really," she admitted. She saw the confusion wash over his face and quickly added, "I'm traveling with...my...sister..." He nodded as if he understood what she was saying but his face remained confused. She cleared her throat and asked, "What's been troubling you?"

He gave a small smile as he admitted, "I almost died tonight, boarding the train... Mr. Edwin Booth had pulled me to safety and I cannot get it out of my mind how fragile life is." Amy nodded, understanding completely. He continued, "I have already thanked him for his timely rescue but I cannot help but feel that I should do more."

"Like what?"

"Invite him to dine with my parents," he said. "They are great admirers of his."

"Have you considered just asking him to come?"

"That," he began as a knowing smile slowly crossing his face. "Is why I've been out here pacing for the better part of the evening."

Amy chuckled. "You should just come outright and ask him. I think you'd be pleasantly surprised."

Robert nodded. "You're absolutely right." His eyes darted to movement behind Amy. He leaned slightly toward her, whispering, "I believe your friend is waiting for you."

Amy furrowed her brow as she glanced over her shoulder. Standing at the opposite end of the corridor stood one of the agents that came along with Emma. She turned back to Robert. "I should probably go...but I wish you all of the best, Robert."

He bowed slightly. "I hope one day our paths will cross once more, Amy." He smiled brightly at her.

Amy could feel the heat rising in her cheeks as she watched him saunter down the corridor, leaving her alone. Her smile fell from her face when the sounds of footsteps on the carpeted floor crept up behind her.

Turning around, she held the man's stare. He asked, "What are ye doing?" She blinked at the accent. It reminded her of Quinn's and she found herself wondering if he was okay.

"Emma told me to take a walk," Amy replied. "That's what I was doing." She studied the man's features. Unlike Quinn, his features were lighter but there was that familiarity between the two and she couldn't put her finger on why. She decided it probably had more to do with her wondering about Quinn than there being an actual connection between the two men.

He gave her a look of disbelief. "Ye are not supposed to wander off." She could tell that he wasn't angry with her but concerned. She wasn't sure why he was showing her this level of worry, especially since she didn't know him.

"What am I supposed to do?" she spat, finally showing her frustrations. "No one is telling me anything-"

"Keep yer voice down," he warned her, gently grabbing her arm and pulling her off to the side of the hall. His stormy blue eyes darted about the corridor making sure they hadn't attracted any unwanted attention. When he was satisfied that no one was around, he turned his gaze back to her. "If ye are going to survive on these missions, ye have to listen to what ye are told-"

"I was told to take a walk," Amy hissed under her breath. "By your standards, I did what was asked."

"We are not alone on this train," he told her, loosening his grip on her. "Ye can't just go wandering off-" She saw the flash of protectiveness wash over his features as he calmed his tone. She started to relax a little in his presence.

"I told you-"

"Emma should know better too," he interrupted her, shaking his head. "And I'll make sure Carol knows about it when we return."

Amy sighed heavily. She licked her lips, braving her next question. "What is the mission here? Why was it so necessary that I be here?"

The man's eyes narrowed at her. "Ye are not supposed to be here." She cocked her head at him in confusion. He added, "As for the mission..."

His blue eyes darted behind her shoulder. He had locked onto someone and was tracking them. "I want ye to listen to me very carefully." Amy started to turn to look when his grip on her arm jerked her back to him. "Don't turn around. Do as I tell ye...I want ye to make yer way to the cargo cars at the back of the train." She could hear the worry for her wellbeing in his tone of voice.

"Why?" she asked. "What's going on?"

"We need to end our meeting and get off this train."

Amy blinked at him. "We're on a moving train...How do you-"

"I'll send Emma yer way," he told her. He released his hold on her and hissed under his breath, "Don't look back, just keep moving. Go now!"

She started to flee down the corridor. She heard the unmistakable sounds of a fight behind her. As she reached the end of the car, she paused by the door that would lead her outside to the next car. Glancing over her shoulder, she watched as the man she had been with moments before was struggling against one of the men from the picture Carol had shown her - Wyatt.

Seeing that Wyatt was close to winning the battle, Amy rushed out into the cold evening air to cross over to the next car. The wind whipped around her. Her dress blew out from her body, nearly knocking her off the platform. The rumbling of the train echoed in the night. Carefully, Amy crossed over the platform. She opened the door with shaky hands and found herself inside one of the luggage cars.

The luggage had been stacked neatly and bound by ropes to prevent them from falling over. The light was scarce as the entire car relied heavily on a single lit lantern that dangled in the center, swaying back and forth to the motion of the moving train.

Rushing forward, Amy glanced about for a place to hide within the dark cargo car. As she neared the door at the back of the car, she heard the door close from where she had just come from. Her heart raced as she darted to the nearest corner, slinking behind the luggage stacked there. She hoped whoever had followed her wouldn't see her.

Amy plastered herself against the stacked luggage. She could barely hear the footsteps within the car over the train rumbling down the tracks. The small lamp that lit the center of the car swayed back and forth, causing numerous shadows to dance across the room.

Her eyes darted about the area as she listened for her follower. She hesitated to come out from her hiding spot and against her better judgment, she slowly started to peek out around the corner. Just as she glanced down the length of the car, she saw no one.

Fear crept up her spine as she stood up straight, the hairs on her arms standing at attention. She felt that desperate need to bolt out of the car to the next - that feeling of flight overtaking her senses. She whirled around to flee but slammed into a tall frame behind her, barring her escape.

Startled, she gasped and instinctively tried to defend herself against the man before her. The man deflected her blows, grabbing her wrists firmly. The moment he held her in place, dark eyes meeting hers, shock and confusion washed over his once stern expression as he stared at her - his face paled like he had seen a ghost.

"Tenley?" he gasped, blinking at her. Her eyes went wide as she stared back at him - remembering the photo Carol had shown her before they left. This was the other man who kidnapped her sister - Flynn. His grip had loosened on her wrists. She tried to jerk them away but he quickly held on. He asked, "Is it really you?"

She yanked her wrists away from him, backing up slowly. "You have me confused with someone else."

He shook his head, trying to reach out to her once more. "What are you-"

"Stay back!" she warned him, hand stretched forward to keep him at bay.

He froze, confusion more apparent on his face. "What happened to you? Don't you remember me?"

"Yeah," she started, inching toward the door. "You're responsible for kidnapping my sister!"

His face contorted by her words. "Your sister-"

"Don't play dumb with me! I know everything!"

"Tenley-"

"That's not my name!" she shouted at him. Her tone appeared to have slapped him in the face with an unseen hand.

He took a step forward, hands raised to show he meant her no harm. His voice was calm but shaky and desperate. "Your name is Tenley-"

"No!"

His brows knitted together with worry. "I'm trying to help you-"

She continued backing away from him. She shook her head. "I don't believe you..."

Hurt washed over his face as he froze, mouth agape. "You don't remember anything...do you?" When she didn't answer, he asked, "What happened to you? What have they done to you?"

Before Amy had a chance to reply, the door behind her slammed open. Emma and the man who scolded her in the corridor earlier burst into the cargo car. Emma raised her gun, aiming directly at Flynn. "Stay away from her, Flynn."

"Emma!" he scoffed. "I should have known. What are you doing?"

"Amy, I need you to come with me," Emma said, eyes zeroed in on Flynn. "We are going home."

Amy saw the confusion and anger wash over Flynn's face at the mention of her name. His anger seemed more directed at Emma than anything. He looked almost pained when his eyes darted to her. She could see that he knew her but she couldn't place a single memory of him - there was a sense of desperation behind his gaze.

The man next to her began tugging on her arm. "Come on. We have to go."

Amy followed the man onto the platform, glancing back to Emma and Flynn. She watched as Flynn held his hands up in a defensive manner, lips pressed into a thin line. His eyes darted to meet hers one last time, almost pleading for her to stay with him - pleading for her to remember him.

The man led Amy to the ladder leading up to the roof of the cargo car. He climbed up first, turning around to help her. As they reached the top, Emma had brought up the rear. The man grasped Amy's hand, pulling her across the roof of the car, steadying her as the wind whipped through them.

Amy's heart pounded in her chest as they inched their way across the top of the fast-moving train. As they neared the center, the Mothership popped into view. The door opened and their pilot waved them over.

The added weight to the car caused the whole train to lurch. The cargo cars snapped off the rest of the train, slowing down along the tracks. Sparks of bright yellow and orange flew out from the metal wheels, illuminating the outside world briefly as the metal screeched awkwardly against each other, echoing in the dark of night.

The jerk of the train cars breaking away had knocked everyone off of their feet. The man holding Amy bolted to his feet, pulling her up. He pushed her toward the white and blue machine, glancing over his shoulder at Emma who was also scrambling to her feet.

The three climbed into the Mothership quickly. Just as the door to the machine started to close, Amy spotted Wyatt and Flynn reaching the roof of the train car, guns aimed at them. The moment the door closed, they vanished back to their time.

Flynn and Wyatt stood there, helpless as the Mothership disappeared. Wyatt turned to face Flynn, panting to catch his breath. "Was that Tenley?"

Flynn nodded, unable to tear his eyes from the spot he had last seen her. "We have to get back to our time."

Wyatt sighed heavily, tossing his hands up in frustration. "Looks like it's going to be a long walk back."

Flynn's mind repeated the encounter in his head like a nightmare. He had been lucky that Emma was distracted and missed her mark when the train car lurched. He could feel the searing pain along his ribs from her missed shot but he refused to fixate on it as there'd be plenty of time to patch himself up. Right now, he had questions and he needed answers.

One thing was certain for Flynn. If Rittenhouse or Bloodstone did anything to harm Tenley, there'd be no force strong enough to stop him from wiping them off the face of the planet.


	21. Remnants

Present Day

Amy was the last one out of the time machine when the door opened. She slinked out like a kid on their way to the principal with her shoulders slumped forward and her eyes downcast. Carol's lips were twisted in disappointment as Amy lifted her eyes to meet hers.

"What happened?" Carol asked. "You're back early."

"We ran into them," Emma replied, spitting the last word out as though it were rancid meat. "And Amy almost fell into their grasp if it wasn't for Rowan's quick thinking." She had shot Amy a nasty glare as she spoke, causing the woman to shrink back further.

Amy's dark eyes bounced over to Rowan. He had been watching her the moment she climbed out of the Mothership. She shifted uncomfortably under everyone's gaze. She opened her mouth to defend herself when Carol raised her hand, silencing her.

"Did you meet with our agent?" Carol questioned.

Emma nodded. "Things are going according to plan, so far."

"So, it wasn't a complete loss?"

"No," Emma replied with a shake of her head. "Thankfully." Her green eyes darted back to Amy, another heated glare tossed her way.

Carol nodded aimlessly, giving the others the silent permission they needed to get out of their old-time clothes. She turned to face Amy as the others shuffled out of the room. "Are you okay?"

Amy blinked back the nerves, nodding slightly. She could see that her mother was disappointed in her - it was written all over the woman's face. Amy took in a shaky breath before saying, "I'm sorry-"

"It's not your fault," she replied, cutting her off. "Rowan suspected something like this would happen."

Amy tilted her head at the remark, clearly surprised. "How-"

"Emma didn't want you there and neither did he," she admitted.

"So," Amy began, drawing out the word. "Why was I there?"

"I wanted you out in the field in hopes that it would jog your memory," Carol stated. "I want you to remember who you were when you came to join us. I guess I was being selfish and for that, I'm sorry." Amy chewed on her lip, staying silent. Carol approached her, gently grabbing her shoulders. "Did...they...talk to you?"

Amy's eyes lifted to meet Carol's. There was something desperate behind the woman's blue eyes - something that made Amy fearful of what her reaction to the truth would be. She shook her head. "No," she lied. "They didn't get the chance."

Relief washed over Carol's features, a short sigh escaped her lips. "Good...that's good."

"I'd like to go see Quinn," Amy whispered, changing the subject. "If that's okay?"

Carol held her gaze for a moment, almost searching for a reason why she should say no. Eventually, she nodded. "Of course. He'll be happy to see you."

Amy nodded, forcing a small smile onto her face as she brushed by her mother. She headed to her room to change first and to organize her thoughts. She had a lot of questions that she needed answers to.

Back at the bunker, the team emerged from the Lifeboat. They were sweaty, covered in dust, and visibly exhausted. Agent Christopher could feel the dark cloud looming over them as the tension increased within the room. "What happened?"

"Well... " Rufus began, glancing over to the others, eyes lingering on Flynn a bit longer than the others. "It's...complicated?"

"It seems to always be complicated," she replied, arms crossing over her chest, eyes darting between the team. "How about we skip to the part where you tell me what happened?"

Wyatt's bright blue eyes darted to the rigid Flynn before he announced, "Tenley's alive."

"What?" Denise gasped, brows furrowed together. Jiya and Mason were also staring at the team in disbelief, mouths agape.

"Rittenhouse has her," Wyatt added, still watching Flynn carefully. Wyatt was waiting for the man to finally snap - to give him a reason for putting the old 'time bandit' in his place.

"Against her will?"

Flynn finally spoke up. "She doesn't know who she is," he explained, his voice a tone deeper than usual. "They kept calling her, Amy."

The entire group turned to Flynn, shock written on their expressions. Lucy's eyes widened as her mouth hung open. Her voice was barely a whisper as she asked, "What did you say?"

Flynn gritted his teeth. He knew that he should have said something earlier but he had been too lost in thought during the long hike back to the Lifeboat to tell them everything. "She didn't recognize me or her real name."

"Do you think Rittenhouse did something to her memory?" Agent Christopher asked before turning her attention over to Mason. "Or is this an artifact of what happened to her?"

Mason crossed his arms over his chest, shrugging nonchalantly. "We've never had anyone disappear and reappear like she did but anything is possible, I'm afraid."

Jiya asked, "So what do we do?" Her eyes darting between the others, hoping someone had a suggestion.

Flynn's expression darkened, hands clenched into fists. "We find her and bring her home."

Rufus's eyes widened as he watched Flynn storm out of the room. "He's scary when he's angry," he stated with a shiver. He glanced at the others and asked, "Do we need to guard the Lifeboat to keep... 'history' from repeating?"

It was clear to Rufus that his semi-joking comment had crossed the minds of the others simply based on the looks they gave each other.

Flynn stormed into his room, slamming the door behind him closed out of pure frustration. He slumped into his black armchair, placing his hands over his face. He could see her. He could see the confusion written on her expression - the same confusion that lingered on his now. He saw the conflict behind her dark eyes as she stared at him.

He knew that he couldn't do this again. He simply couldn't sit back and watch his enemies take the one thing that made life worth living away from him again.

Leaning forward to rest his elbows against his knees, he realized that he should be grateful. She was alive. She still breathed life and he had been praying for that. There were just some things he couldn't take for granted and her being alive was one of them.

He focused his energy to still his anger. He needed to gather himself for the battles ahead. He had to be on his game if he hoped to win her over and bring her back home. That was his new mission - the most important one that he'd die to succeed.

Amy knocked on the open doorframe to Quinn's infirmary room. His dark eyes darted over to meet hers, a smile breaking across his bandaged face. "Hey," he said. "Come in!"

As she crossed the threshold, her eyes immediately landed on another familiar face. Her lips parted on their own accord as she watched Rowan stand up from the seat next to the bed. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize-"

"Oh no," Quinn stated, waving her apology to the wayside. "Rowan was just checking up on me." When he saw the confusion on her face, he clarified, "He's my brother."

"Brother?" Amy repeated, stunned. "I didn't know-"

"I would have thought the accent gave it away," Rowan chuckled, a small smirk on his face, blue eyes sparkling with amusement. He turned to face Quinn once more. "I'll come back later, yeah?" Quinn nodded and Rowan walked around the chair, nodding politely to Amy as he brushed by her.

Amy turned to watch him as he left the room. She realized that even though he had an accent, she didn't connect the dots. Now that she saw them both in the same room, the similarities were striking, even though they were opposites. Rowan had the lighter features, whereas Quinn's were darker. She had no reason to before but now, she was beginning to question everything.

Quinn studied her thoughtful expression before asking, "Are ye all right?" He was visibly concerned.

She blinked out of her thoughts, smiling warmly at him. "Yes..." she chuckled awkwardly as she approached his bed. She noticed his bandages were freshly bound. Her eyes drifted to the IV hanging over his shoulder, making sure it was doing its job.

He smiled, knowing what she was doing. "It's working," he told her. "I've made sure of it."

"Good," she muttered, brown eyes drifting back to him as she sat down in the chair Rowan once occupied. "How are you doing?"

His eyes narrowed at her. "I feel like I should be asking ye that." She swallowed nervously, shifting in her seat. He asked, reaching for her hand, "What's going on?" He knew something was eating away at her.

Cautiously, Amy glanced over her shoulder to the open door. She turned back to face Quinn, whispering, "What did Rowan tell you?"

He shook his head slightly. "Nothing much, why?"

She licked her lips before admitting, "We ran into the... the others." Quinn held her gaze, brows still knitted together as he listened closely. She continued in a hushed voice, "You said that I wasn't safe here...What did you mean by that?"

Quinn's eyes lingered on her for a moment longer than usual. He started to pull himself upright. Amy reached out and grasped his hand, helping him sit up. As Amy tried to pull her hand back, she was surprised to see him holding it tightly.

He pulled her closer to his bed, inviting her to sit next to him. As she sat down, he studied her downcast eyes. "Are ye all right?" he asked again. "Be honest with me because from what I can see, ye are far and away from okay."

She shrugged, lifting her gaze to his. "I don't know...and I'm terrified...I don't know who I can trust..."

"Ye can trust me," he whispered. "And my brother."

Amy sighed. "I'm scared, Quinn..."

"Listen to me," he started, licking his lips. He snaked his hand around the back of her neck, holding her in place gently, staring into her eyes. "Ye need to trust me and Rowan. We won't let anything happen to ye."

"How can you say that?" she sighed. "You're still here recovering-"

"Rowan's assigned to the next mission," he told her. "Stay close to him."

"What about Emma?"

He smirked at her question, shaking his head. "Emma is dangerous to everyone. Ye'd do best to stay away from her."

A sudden knock landed on the open door frame, breaking Quinn's hold of Amy as he quickly withdrew, putting distance between them. They both glanced over their shoulders to see Rowan poking his head inside, eyes locking with Amy. "We have to go." His voice matched his expression - serious.

"Go where?" she asked, slight irritation behind her tone. "We just got back-"

"I don't ask questions," he told her. "But we have to go."

She sighed, turning back to Quinn. "I'll come back to see you when I return."

"Take care of her, brother!" Quinn called out to Rowan. Rowan nodded, placing his hand on the small of Amy's back, leading her out of the room.

Rowan and Amy walked side by side down the hallway towards the main room where the Mothership sat. Amy glanced at him from the corner of her eye. She had questions and she wanted to trust him as Quinn suggested that she do but there was a lingering hesitation that voiced concerns.

Rowan sensed her internal battle. He glanced over at her. "Are ye all right, Amy? Did Quinn say something he shouldn't have?"

She opened her mouth before quickly shutting it to remain quiet. She shook her head instead.

He grabbed her elbow, pulling her to the side of the hallway gently. "If ye have something to say to me, ye best say it now, before we're back in the field."

She studied his stormy eyes. They were identical to Quinn's in the sense that they were both dark and mysterious, holding something secretive behind them. Her voice cracked as she admitted, "He told me to trust you and stay near you on this mission."

Rowan didn't blink. "I agree with him," he said calmly, voice low enough for only her to hear. "I think it's for the best if ye do."

"He..." she paused, glancing about the hallway before whispering, "He told me to be careful around Emma."

Rowan's face didn't falter. He nodded, leaning closer to her to whisper. She could smell his musky scent surrounding him. She felt weak in the knees inhaling the air around him. It also felt familiar somehow. "Sage advice. She's dangerous."

"That's what he said." Her voice had cracked slightly as she spoke. She felt the heat rising in her cheeks as she stared into his eyes.

"If ye trust Quinn," he said, voice lowering as his eyes darted around her face. "Ye best heed his words."

"Can I trust you?"

Rowan's blue eyes studied her for a moment. Just as his lips parted to reply, a man's voice at the end of the hall shouted, "Hey! You two finished? We've got a job to do!"

Rowan released his hold of her, motioning for her to walk before him. Amy swallowed her nerves as she pushed her way by him. Her eyes lifted to see a different Rittenhouse agent standing there watching the two of them with an expression mixed with amusement and confusion.

As the two entered the main room, Emma was already waiting for them, hands on her hips as she glared at the two. "Where have you two been?"

Rowan stated, "I had to pull her away from Quinn."

Amy's head snapped up to glare at him. She couldn't believe that he would throw his brother under the bus like that when they were delayed because of their conversation. Wisely, she stayed quiet. She decided to trust his decision on this. If he had blamed Quinn, there must have been a good reason for doing so.

Carol cleared her throat and stated, "Amy, I need a word with you." Amy approached quickly, feeling the heated gaze boring into the back of her head, most likely from Emma. Carol said, "I have something for you to do on this mission."

Jiya typed madly at the keys, turning the bunker alarms off as she announced, "They've jumped to Atlantic City... July 10, 1931."

"Atlantic City?" Rufus repeated. "I hear the casinos are great-"

Lucy shook her head. "There were so many people who crossed paths in Atlantic City...I mean, it was a popular place to be. You had musicians, boxers, politicians, physicists-"

"So," Wyatt interrupted, shaking his head. "A lot of people who are potential targets..." He sighed and asked, "Is it impossible for Rittenhouse or Bloodstone to pick easy targets or do they enjoy watching us scramble around like chickens with our heads cut off?"

"Scrambled, like eggs?" Rufus jested, shooting Wyatt an amused look. Wyatt glared at him, clearly not seeing the humor in the situation.

Agent Christopher shook her head slightly, choosing to ignore his joke. "Be careful..." she shot Flynn a cautionary glance as she spoke. "Don't do anything crazy." She could see he knew that disclaimer was directed at him mostly.

Flynn returned her gaze with one of his own - the one that told her he'd do whatever he needed to - especially with the latest developments involving Tenley. He climbed into the Lifeboat, eager to leave.

Agent Christopher stopped Wyatt and added, "Watch him...make sure he doesn't do anything reckless."

He asked, "Does that mean I can shoot him if he falls out of line?" Agent Christopher shot him a disapproving glance but kept quiet. Wyatt nodded and followed the others into the Lifeboat. The hatch closed and the machine disappeared from sight, blowing the familiar blast of cold wind back onto those watching.

Jiya smoothed her hair out as she asked, "Are you sure it was wise to send Flynn?"

"I'm not certain of anything anymore," Denise admitted.


	22. Words Drowned By Fireworks

1931

Atlantic City was bustling with crowds. Music blared across the boardwalk from a live brass band in the center. Screams from numerous rides and laughter from those enjoying the amenities echoed all around. The nightclubs' windows were plastered with posters of their upcoming entertainment each featuring different jazz musicians.

The team walked down the pier, eyes wide as they took in the nearly new attractions. Lucy's wide brown eyes were shining bright like a kid on Christmas as she took it all in, a big smile plastered on her ruby lips.

Rufus muttered, "I could get used to being in places like this." When Wyatt glanced at him, he added, "Except for the fact that I'm not allowed into ninety percent of these buildings." He eyed the signs that prohibited 'coloreds' from entering.

Flynn scanned the wave of people on the busy pier. He hoped to spot Tenley within the sea of faces. He'd even settle for Emma, just to see if she'd lead them to where Tenley was. It was then that his mind reminded him of a terrible possibility: Tenley might not even be on this mission.

"Flynn?" Lucy's voice tore through the crowd, alerting him to the simple fact that she had asked him a question and he hadn't been paying attention. He blinked at her, silently asking her to repeat herself, which she did. "Should we split up?"

He looked back at the growing crowds. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

Wyatt sighed, placing a hand on his hip. "Well, we need to figure out which direction we're heading then."

Rufus pointed to a large banner hanging over the boardwalk, tied to two large posts. "How about we start there?"

The team turned their gaze to the banner Rufus had pointed out. In bold red paint, the words 'Doc Carver's Amazing Diving Horses and Riders' were hung.

"Diving horses?" Wyatt repeated as he read from the sign. "What era is this?"

"Doc Carver!" Lucy sighed, that familiar fangirl gleam in her eyes, a dreamy smile on her face.

"Are we supposed to know who that is?" Rufus asked.

Lucy turned to the team, all of whom were clearly lost. "He traveled with Buffalo Bill and the Wild West Show before he broke off to do his own thing with the circus and carnivals."

"So, are you saying we should pay him a visit then?" Wyatt questioned. "Is it possible that Rittenhouse is here for him?"

She shook her head. "He died a few years ago...his son, Al, should be managing things."

"Diving horses," Wyatt repeated, rubbing his temple. "What will they think up next?"

The team headed down the packed pier toward the end of the boardwalk where Carver's show was set up. People were marching along, preparing themselves for the upcoming show, several carrying cotton candy, popcorn, or little flags to wave.

As they neared the entrance, they spotted a flock of people clustered around someone. Upon approach, they spotted a young woman wearing a beautiful yellow sundress and matching hat. She wore a bright smile as she greeted the gathered people. It wasn't until they drew closer that they noticed she was signing autographs on photos of herself with a horse.

If it were possible for Lucy's face to beam any brighter, it did the second her eyes landed on the woman encircled by the crowd. Wyatt noticed her expression and asked, "Who is she?"

"Sonora Webster!" Lucy sighed. "She's the star of the show!"

"Show?" Wyatt repeated, eyes darting back to the woman. "This show?"

Lucy nodded. "She becomes a symbol of hope, courage, and inspiration. I mean, she rode the diving horses for a couple of years before she ended up going blind after an accident during one of the shows but she persevered and continued diving for 11 years after."

"You didn't say anything about girls riding these damned diving horses!" Wyatt gasped. "She looks like a kid!" He looked mortified by the details of the show. "This is dangerous, what were they thinking?"

"Her sister also rode them," Lucy commented with a short shoulder shrug. "She started at the age of 15." She watched as Wyatt's face filled with disapproval. She smiled. "Welcome to show business."

They turned their gaze back to the young woman in the crowd. She finished signing an autograph and announced, "I hope you're all coming to the show! Don't be late! The horses don't wait!"

The dispersing crowd chuckled at her joke as they turned to leave for their seats. A few people had continued to linger, watching with star-struck eyes as the young woman waited patiently for the crowd to leave. As she started to head back to the end of the pier where the show was set up, a couple of men in dark grey suits followed her.

"Hey, guys?" Rufus said, tapping Wyatt on the arm. He motioned through the sea of people to Sonora and her followers.

Wyatt stretched his neck to get a better look. When he spotted the men following her, he motioned for the others to follow. "Come on."

The team forced their way through the crowds, trying to gain ground on them. The crowds were growing in size, preventing them from reaching the woman in good time. Flynn could see above the crowd a bit easier than the others. He spotted the men grabbing and pulling the woman down a side street.

Pushing people out of his way desperately, he led the team to the street he had last seen the woman and the men who grabbed her. Rounding the corner, they slid to a stop as they spotted the men cornering Sonora. They had her up against the wall, her hands raised defensively as her face showed her fear.

"Hey!" Wyatt shouted, raising his gun at the men.

The two men glanced over their shoulders. They whirled to face the team, raising their guns just as quickly, firing off a couple of rounds. The team split away from one another, diving for cover as the bullets ricocheted off the concrete walls. Wyatt popped up out of his cover behind old barrels to return fire but the men had vanished down another alley.

Sonora huddled against the wall in a kneeling position, hands over her head protectively. She trembled with fear as she lifted her green eyes to the approaching Flynn. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"

Flynn knelt before her, concern washed over his face as he looked her in the eyes. Her wide eyes reminded him of Tenley's when he saved her from Gabriel almost a year ago. He shook the memory away as he studied Sonora for a moment. "Are you all right?"

Her sun-kissed skin flushed as she readjusted her yellow sunhat. "I thank you for your timely arrival." Flynn stood up, extending a hand down to her to help her back to her feet. She slipped her hand into his. Once she was back on her feet, she withdrew from him, eyes bouncing about the team.

Lucy approached her and asked, "Miss Webster, are you alright? What did those men want with you?"

"I've never seen them before in my life!" she stated, smoothing out her dress.

"That wasn't the question," Flynn remarked, a bit harsher than he intended. Her eyes locked with his as he repeated Lucy's initial question. "What did they want with you?"

She sighed heavily. "What any crazed fan wants," she began, hands tossed out to her sides. "Attention? Money?"

The team exchanged glances. "But these aren't your typical crazed fans, are they, Miss Webster?" Lucy stated in her professional voice. "We're detectives...we were hired to look after you." Rufus and Wyatt exchanged stunned glances at Lucy's bold lie.

"Hired?" Sonora repeated almost skeptically. "By whom?"

Lucy's reply was quick. "Mr. Carver, before his death."

"He died years ago," she stated. "And why would he ask you to look after me? Al's been doing that-"

"Doc had concerns that you were being targeted by someone with ill-intent," Lucy interrupted. "We have reason to believe that these men who attacked you are those very people."

Sonora held Lucy's stare. Lucy could see the disbelieving look behind her eyes slowly melt away. "You're serious..."

Lucy nodded. "I'm afraid so..."

Sonora shook her head. "But...they wanted to know where my sister was..."

"Your sister?" Rufus repeated. He turned to look at the others. It was written on his face that he was concerned about the younger star.

"Where is your sister?" Wyatt questioned, his tone showing the gravity of the situation. "If they are after her, we need to find her before they do."

Sonora's face fell into despair, panic rising. "You don't think they'd hurt her, do you? I mean, she's just a child-"

Flynn tilted his head slightly. "They didn't hesitate to try with you."

The fear on her face increased as she brought her hand to her mouth to stifle a gasp. "We have to go-"

"You have a show to put on," Lucy reminded the woman. "Don't you?" When Sonora nodded, opening her mouth to retort, Lucy added calmly, "Tell us where to find your sister and we'll make sure to get to her before they do."

"What about me?" she asked. "I don't know if I could stomach being left alone-"

"We'll be there in the stands watching you," Wyatt said, reassuringly. "Don't worry... we're professionals."

Sonora questioned, "What about Al?"

Wyatt gritted his teeth. The worry on the woman's face reminded him of how he looked when he thought there was a chance to save Jessica. "We'll keep an eye on him too, but we're running out of time here."

"You're right," she sighed, shaking her head clear of thoughts. "I'm sorry, I am just so scared... Arnette should be with the horses in the stalls."

"Then we better get moving," Wyatt remarked, motioning for her to lead the way.

Flynn's guard remained up as they neared the show's set up. Sonora left for her dressing trailer near the stage. The team's eyes drifted up the forty-foot wooden tower before following the edge of the ramp that fell toward the shallow pool of water underneath.

Rufus's mouth hung open. "How deep is that water?"

Lucy thought for a moment before admitting, "About 12 feet deep?"

"Are these people crazy?" he stammered. "I mean, a horse diving into a pool of shallow water...why?!"

"Hey boy!" a voice shouted behind them angrily. As they froze, glancing over their shoulders, they spotted two police officers approaching them. Their stern gazes lingered on Rufus. With their batons in hand prepared for use, one of them pointed to Rufus. "You aren't allowed on the stands. If you're here for the show, you're to stand back there."

As they looked to where they were ordering Rufus to go, Rufus scoffed. "How am I supposed to see the show from back there?" He immediately regretted speaking up when he realized he had forgotten what time period they were in. That regret was obvious to everyone staring at him.

The officers took a step forward, prepared to force him out of the area. Flynn stepped in between them, hands raised in defense. "I'm sorry for his behavior. I'll have a strong talk with him. If you'll excuse us..." He grabbed Rufus by the scruff of his neck, leading him away from the area with haste.

Rufus groaned under his tight grip. "Hey, easy!" Flynn shushed him with gritted teeth as he continued leading him away from the lingering gaze of the police officers. When Flynn felt they were far enough away, he released his hold on Rufus. Rufus cried out, "Do you have to be so rough? Is that the only strength you know?"

"Are you trying to get yourself beaten or thrown in jail?" Flynn countered.

Rufus sighed, frustrated. "Man, you don't get it! I hate constantly reminding y'all that I'm black-"

"Rufus-" Flynn tried to interrupt.

"And almost every place we've traveled to-"

"Rufus-"

"I can't even remember the last time we went somewhere-"

"Rufus!" Flynn snapped. He grabbed the pilot forcefully by the chin, turning his head in the direction he wanted the man to look.

Rufus's eyes landed on a familiar head full of red hair slipping into a building across the way. Speaking with scrunched cheeks, Rufus asked, "Was that Emma?"

Flynn released his hold on Rufus. "Come on... we better see what she's up to."

The two carefully made their way toward the white building they spotted Emma enter moments before. Rufus stopped Flynn before he opened the door. "What's our plan here?"

"Find out why she's here," Flynn replied simply.

"Are you sure you're thinking clearly?"

"Apparently, I'm the only one thinking clearly!"

"I mean, are you?" Rufus asked. "Ever since you saw Tenley, you've been-"

"Rufus!" Flynn hissed. "Now is not the time for this conversation!" He glared a warning at the pilot.

Rufus raised his hands defensively. He saw that familiar glint in Flynn's eyes - the one that told him to tread carefully. It was obvious what Flynn's reasoning was for pursuing Emma. Rufus couldn't deny him that - in fact, he'd probably do the same if it was Jiya.

Flynn withdrew his gun from the holster hidden under his gray suit jacket and opened the door silently. The two slipped inside the building, careful not to attract any unwanted attention to themselves.

Rufus blinked, allowing his brain to catch up to what he was seeing. "We're in a barn?" He turned to look at the door, feeling as though he had just crossed into the Tardis. He opened his mouth to say just that when Flynn brought a finger to his lips, silently telling Rufus to stop talking. Flynn slipped down the side of the room, keeping hidden between the wall and the horses' stalls. Rufus followed in suit.

At the far end of the barn, in the safety of their stalls, were two beautiful horses. One was a chocolate-colored horse and the other was a white and grey speckled mare.

Standing on the rails of the white horse's stall was a young woman dressed in a red swimsuit and cap. She held out a large shiny yellow apple forward for the horse. She was muttering calmly to the horse, almost coaxing it to approach her. The horse brayed, keeping its distance.

Rufus whispered, "That must be Arnette."

Flynn nodded in agreement. His eyes scanned the rest of the building before landing on the opened door that led outside. He spotted the two men from earlier approaching the barn. He whispered over his shoulder, eyes remaining on the men, "We've got company. Get her out of here...I'll take care of the others."

Rufus nodded but stopped after taking one step. "What if the cops think I'm kidnapping her?"

Flynn pressed his lips together tightly, sighing. Rufus had a point - one even he couldn't deny. Rufus had already gotten in trouble with the law outside a moment ago. If he was caught carrying one of the show's stars out kicking and screaming, Flynn knew it wouldn't end well.

Before either one could decide what to do, the two suits entered the barn. Arnette turned her attention over to them. "You're not supposed to be in here," she scolded.

The men stopped a few feet short of her, hands in their pockets. Flynn watched them carefully. The man on the left glanced over at the horses with great interest. The other kept his eyes locked on the girl. As the man on the right began to speak to Arnette, the crowd outside in the stands erupted into cheers, drowning their words out.

Flynn jutted his jaw out in frustration. He inched his way closer to them, hoping to hear anything of substance. The crowds continued roaring and whistling. As Flynn contemplated making his way even closer, he stopped the moment his eyes caught more shadows closing in on the entrance to the barn.

Two more figures entered the barn. He froze as soon as his eyes locked onto the familiar frame of Tenley. The first two turned to address Tenley and the blond man next to her - the one he recognized from the train mission. He watched her carefully as she stood there. She didn't seem to be held against her will but he remembered her confusion when she was face to face with him on the train. Even now, she looked out of place - eyes wide like a deer in headlights.

The first two spoke to Tenley and her follower before turning back to Arnette. She held something small out to the men before leaving the barn. Flynn and Rufus exchanged worried glances. They turned their attention back to the four.

The crowds were growing in volume. The shrill of a microphone turning on pierced through the cheers. A man's voice boomed through the crowd. "Welcome to Doc Carver's Diving Horse Show!" The cheers erupted again.

The blond man who had come into the barn with Tenley had motioned for one of the first two men to follow him. Flynn narrowed his eyes as he watched them leave the barn. His eyes darted back to Tenley and the man who remained. The man handed Tenley the item Arnette had passed on to them.

She studied the item in her hand, face contorted with disapproval. She lifted her gaze to the man with her, shaking her head. He motioned toward the horses before motioning to her aggressively. He glared at her before he stepped outside of the barn.

Flynn watched for a moment as Tenley turned toward the horses. She slipped into the stall with the brown mare. Flynn decided that he had no other choice - he had to confront her again. He hoped she would remember who she was if he had the chance to explain it to her - if she would allow him to explain.

Rufus kept hidden behind the stalls, watching in a state of panic as Flynn slipped between the empty stalls and across the barn to the other side.

Flynn climbed into the stall with the brown mare and Tenley. She lifted her gaze to meet his. Fear washed over her expression the moment she saw him. She backed into the wall, holding her hand up to stop him from coming any closer. In her other hand, clutched tightly to her chest in a protective manner, was a syringe filled with a clear liquid.

"Tenley?" he began, voice raising in question. "What are you doing?"

"You again?"

"Give me the syringe-"

"Stay back!"

He raised his hands carefully, eyes pleading silently with her. "I'm not going to hurt you-"

"Right," she scoffed. "Why should I believe you?"

He took a step toward her. "What are you planning on doing to that horse? What did they want you to do?"

She tried to slip around the mare to keep the distance between the two of them. "I'm trying to help-"

He shook his head. "Nothing good ever comes from people like Rittenhouse."

Her brows furrowed together, showing her confusion. "What do you know about Rittenhouse?" Despite her distrusting behavior, she appeared to be listening to him.

"Those people you're with," he said, calmly. "They are Rittenhouse. I don't know what they've told you-"

"Amy?" an accented voice shouted inside the barn.

Flynn glanced over his shoulder, worried that the agent had discovered his presence. He turned his worried gaze back over to Tenley. She stared at him, a mix of emotion on her face. He saw the struggle to remember on her face. She hadn't called out for help yet. He hoped that was a good sign that she was questioning things.

She opened her mouth but Flynn closed the distance between the two of them quickly. He clasped his large calloused hand over her mouth, wrapping his other arm around her waist, bringing her to the bottom of the horse stall. He quietly shushed her as he held her tightly against him. She struggled against his hold, both hands clawing at his hold on her mouth.

"Amy!" the accented voice shouted again, concern laced in his tone. "Where are ye?"

Tenley jabbed her elbow into Flynn's ribs. She had dropped the syringe as she gripped his arms tightly, tugging them away from her mouth. Flynn tried to keep his hold on her but their struggle was spooking the horse, causing it to shift and kick dangerously close to the pair. Its braying alerted the man to their location.

"Amy?" the voice neared. Flynn glanced up in time to see the man's gun aiming in their direction.

Flynn pushed Tenley out of harm's way from the incoming bullet from the man's gun as well as the kicks from the spooked horse. He rolled out of the way, narrowly missing the hoof coming at him.

The blond man reached out and grabbed Tenley, pulling her out of the stall quickly. He pushed her toward the barn doors, closely following her as they fled the scene.

Flynn managed to crawl out of the stall, rolling out from under the horse before being trampled. He stood up, rushing out the doors in hopes of tracking them down. As he burst through the doors to the outside, he glanced about. They were gone. He ran a hand through his hair, jostling the hay from his black locks, feeling angry and frustrated that he had lost them - lost her. All he could do now was wait and see if her memory would return, hopefully before they jumped back to the present time.

Rufus climbed quickly into the stall, retrieving the syringe from within the hay. His brows were furrowed as he stared at it. The barn doors opened again and he pocketed the syringe, slipping out the back of the stall, hiding in the dark corner.

A voice approached the brown horse's stall, "This one is really jittery...are you sure we should use this one?"

"I don't know," another voice stated. "Arnette said we had to use Red Lips. She said some animal experts were going to give him something to calm down from the noise."

"What's wrong with Lightning?"

"I guess that horse got sick on the journey here," the second voice stated. After a moment of silence, the man added, "This horse doesn't seem any calmer like she said."

Rufus watched as the two men tried to lead the spooked horse out of the stall. He felt the syringe in his pocket. He wondered if that's what Tenley had been trying to do - calm the horse.

Realizing that it was a toss-up on whether or not the contents of the syringe would calm the horse or kill it, he struggled with what decision he should make at the moment. He wished Lucy were standing next to him to give him some sort of guidance.


	23. Distant Memory

In the crowded stands, Lucy and Wyatt watched as Al Carver finished his opening speech and introduction for the show. He turned his gaze over to the tall ladder where Sonora had started her climb up the high wooden tower, he spoke into the microphone once more. "Sonora? Sonora Webster?"

The crowds were hushed, hanging onto his every word. They watched as she stopped her climb up, turning her gaze over to him as she remained on the ladder rung, confusion washing over her features.

Wyatt whispered, "What's going on?" Lucy shrugged as her eyes remained glued to Sonora.

Al continued, "Sonora Webster, I love you. I've loved you every day since I met you." Sonora's gaze turned toward the waiting crowd who were saying their oh's and awe's. She started climbing down the ladder. "There's no better feeling in the world than knowing I'm going to see you every morning."

When Sonora reached the bottom of the ladder, she rushed over to Al. Even though she wasn't standing close to the microphone, her voice still echoed over the speakers. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Al asked coyly, a wide smile on his face. "I love you...Will you marry me?" The crowds started chanting 'yes' as she stood there in stunned silence. Lucy's smile grew as she watched pure love before her eyes. Wyatt turned his gaze onto Lucy and saw how much of a romantic she was. He reached out and grasped her hand, interlocking his fingers with hers.

Sonora placed her hands on her blushing cheeks. "This is crazy!"

"Well, I'm crazy about you!" Al replied, a wide smile on his face. "So, will you?" The crowds chanted 'yes' louder.

She laughed. "Yes!" She jumped into his arms and the crowds erupted in cheers.

He planted a kiss on her ruby-red lips. He pulled away and said, "Now, hurry up! We've got a show to run!"

Sonora ran back to the ladder with a newfound joy in her step. She climbed the ladder to the top. Once she reached it, she raised her hands above her head, posing like the posters that were plastered all over the place.

The brass band started playing again, the crowds watched with anticipation as the brown horse made its way up the ramp quickly. Wyatt squeezed Lucy's hand as he watched Sonora grab a hold of the horse, pulling herself onto its bareback just seconds before it dove off the edge.

Wyatt's mouth hung open as he stared in shock, breath caught in his chest. He watched as the horse dove straight into the pool of shallow water below. Rider and horse crashed into the pool, splashing the people in the front rows with cold water.

He released the breath he was holding as the horse climbed out of the pool with Sonora still holding on. She slid off the back of the horse, posing in the same fashion she did on the ramp, a happy smile on her face. Al approached her, wrapping his arm around her waist, kissing her wet cheek as the crowds continued their standing ovation.

Lucy turned to take in his expression. She smiled wide at him. "Isn't she something?" He just nodded in response. Lucy's eyes caught Rufus and Flynn off to the side and noted their grim expressions. She pulled Wyatt behind her through the cheering crowds as she made her way over to them.

As they neared them, Lucy asked, "What happened?" Flynn's tense posture made Wyatt uneasy. Rufus glanced down at his shoes, almost like a kid who got caught stealing from the cookie jar. Lucy's eyes darted between the two. "Well?"

Rufus finally lifted his gaze, shifting slightly in place. "Well...I may or may not have done a bad thing?"

Present Day

The Mothership door opened, allowing the occupants inside to exit. Carol stood with her arms crossed over her chest as she watched the group climb out. Her eyes studied each one of them as they exited. When her eyes landed on Emma, she asked, "Well?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Ask your daughter."

Amy halted in her step, blinking at Emma, almost as though she had been taken off guard. Her mouth fell agape as her eyes darted over to Carol.

Carol ignored Emma's remark as she refused to look at Amy. "Well, the important thing is that you succeeded in your mission. The horse remained calm during the jump."

Amy's head snapped up at the remark. She didn't have a chance to give the horse the shot before she had been cornered by Flynn. In fact, when he grabbed her, she had dropped the syringe into the hay. She began to wonder who had given the horse the shot. Her wide eyes darted about the gathered group. None of them gave her a second glance.

Carol nodded solemnly. "Get some rest. We have a while before we plan our next move."

The group dispersed from the room. Amy was one of the last to leave. She almost expected Carol to stop her to have another discussion of what happened, but Carol didn't say a word to her.

Amy walked down the empty hallway toward her room. Rounding the corner that would lead her down the side corridor where her room was, she felt hands grab her arms aggressively, whirling her around before slamming her into the wall. She released a pained gasp from her lips as her eyes lifted to see Emma glaring hard at her.

Emma's cold stare bore into her being. "What happened, Amy? What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything-"

"That's right," Emma spat, standing closer. "You didn't do anything." Amy opened her mouth to retort but Emma shook her head. "Don't speak, just listen." Amy saw the anger blazing behind the green eyes staring at her. "I don't know what game you're playing at but if you get in my way, you better be prepared for what will happen to you."

"Are you threatening me?" she whispered, eyes wide with panic. A lump formed in her throat. Quinn's warnings regarding Emma were screaming within her mind.

Emma sneered at her, opening her mouth to speak. Her words were halted by another voice speaking behind them. "What the hell do ye think yer doing?"

Emma smirked, glancing over her shoulder at Rowan. With her hand still holding Amy against the wall by the neck, she challenged, "What are you going to do, Rowan? Run to 'mummy' and tell her about my bullying?"

Rowan's heated gaze bore into Emma. "Let go of her." His body straightened, fully prepared to attack if necessary.

Emma chuckled, turning her heated gaze back to Amy. "Remember what I said." Her hand fell from Amy's neck. She glanced between the two before laughing again. "She's all yours."

Rowan watched Emma as she left the hallway. He didn't take his eyes off of her until she was out of view. When they were alone, he finally turned his attention onto Amy. "Are ye alright?" His eyes examined her face, searching for any answer beyond her spoken words.

"I think so," she managed to say, voice shaking from the experience.

His concern only grew with her answer. He stepped closer to her, running his hands up her arms in comfort. "What happened? What'd she say to ye?"

Amy's mouth hung open as she blinked a couple of times. She struggled to think of what to say - if she should say anything at all. She knew Emma would follow through with her threats against her if she said anything. Amy knew one thing for certain: she feared for Rowan, and even Quinn for that matter, if Emma redirected her threats to them. They were the only ones she could trust - she couldn't even trust her own mother.

Rowan saw the internal battle raging inside her mind. He lifted his head, glancing down the hallway to make sure they were still alone. When his gaze returned to her, he whispered, "It's not safe to talk out in the open. Come find me when yer able."

Amy nodded as he stepped away from her. She turned and reached out for her bedroom doorknob. She glanced at him one last time before slipping into the safety of her room.

The door clicked closed behind Amy. She sighed, running a hand down her face as she turned to change her clothes. As she began to pull her blouse over her head, she heard something fall to the floor. Tossing her shirt onto her bed, she bent down to pick up a card with the word 'Dominion' written in dark blue trailing the sides of a light blue card.

Amy's brows knitted together as she flipped the card over. She scanned the image of a veiled woman with her open hands holding a glowing ball of light in the air by magic. The top of the card's banner said 'witch' and the bottom in the description box read, '+2 cards, Each other player gains a curse'. At the very bottom, in a gold circle was the number 5 with the words 'Action - Attack'.

Images of her sitting around a small table within a dimly lit room with cards similar to the one in her hand laid out on the tabletop came rushing forward. She could see the cards clear as day, then the person sitting across from her came into view. Smiling warmly, a happy glint in his eyes as he stared at her was Flynn. They were laughing together and there was a sense of security, familiarity.

The next image to cross her memory was Flynn standing close to her at a door, both reaching for the doorknob. Even though that memory was quick, she noticed the room she was standing in to be similar to an infirmary.

She shook her head, breaking the random memories that had pounced on her unsuspectingly. She found herself confused and wondering what was wrong with her. Why was she remembering things that featured Flynn? She was told he was the bad guy - someone not to be trusted - the very man who had helped kidnap her sister. Then she remembered how he tried to talk to her on the train. He claimed her name wasn't Amy. She refused to listen and now, she wished she had.

Lucy stood before the group, holding an open book in her hands. She turned a page as she continued reading, "It says that Sonora Webster Carver continued diving for eleven years and never had her accident. She never went blind as she did before."

"So, she didn't go blind because Rufus gave that horse a shot?" Wyatt questioned. Rufus shifted uncomfortably as he waited for the answer.

Lucy's eyes darted about the page. "Honestly? I think so."

"It doesn't make any sense though," Wyatt admitted. "Why go back to prevent this accident from happening? I don't understand why she matters to them-"

"Whatever happened to Arnette?" Flynn piped up from the back of the group. When their eyes turned to him, he added, "She spoke with the Rittenhouse agents and gave them the syringe." Rufus's head bobbed up and down as Flynn spoke, pointing at him in a way to suggest they listen. Flynn continued, "Perhaps they weren't there to harm either one of them - but maybe they were there to help?"

"Rittenhouse never helps anyone-" Wyatt began.

Flynn cut him off. "No one that doesn't serve some purpose to them, you mean."

The silence that fell over the team as they realized the gravity of his words was deafening. Lucy quickly flipped through her book, searching through the paragraphs for any mention of Arnette.

"It looks like Arnette sort of disappears a couple of years after we left," Lucy stated. "She stated that she wanted to travel the world and no one saw her again. Sonora kept writing letters to a post box address hoping to hear back from Arnette but never got anything in return."

Rufus rubbed his hand over the top of his head. "So, do you think she was taken by Rittenhouse?"

Flynn shook his head. "I think she was Rittenhouse."

Rufus's face contorted as he took in this revelation. His face lit up as though another thought suddenly popped into his mind. "What if she's Bloodstone instead of Rittenhouse?" The others glanced over at him, confused. He held his hands up, almost pleading for the others to wait before bombarding him with doubt. "Think about it for a moment...This whole time, Bloodstone has been the ones taking people out of their own timeline, right? Rittenhouse doesn't seem to care about them-"

"We also haven't seen or heard from Bloodstone in quite some time," Jiya reminded them. "We kind of are due for a visit soon."

Agent Christopher sighed, shaking her head slightly before rubbing her temple with her fingers, clearly feeling the overwhelming confusion that went hand in hand with time travel. "We'll have to figure this out later. In the meantime, get some rest. You all look like you could use it."

The team dispersed to their rooms in stunned silence. Flynn chewed on the inside of his lip as he meandered down the hall to the infirmary. He stepped inside, eyes scanning the room. Everything remained just as it had been before, sans the opened game box of Dominion that he had thrown open in his hurry to leave on this mission.

He took a chance to snag the witch card from the box, hoping to find a way to reach Tenley's memory. He didn't know when he'd be able to give it to her but he remained determined to carry the card with him, even if it were just a reminder to himself what his personal mission was. He hadn't expected the opportunity to slip the card into her pocket to come as quickly as it had. He was surprised he managed to get it into her pocket unnoticed during their scuffle in the horse stall or without it falling out by accident against her struggle.

Flynn approached the game box and began cleaning up the cards that he scattered about in his hurry. He chuckled slightly as he picked them up, knowing if Tenley were there, she'd be upset with his treatment of the game. He'd probably end up with a lecture of sorts from her. He paused his cleaning as he smirked at the thought. He never would have thought in a million years that he'd actually want a lecture from her. His smile faltered slightly as he put the cards into the box. He would suffer through a lifetime of lectures from her as long as she was next to him.

In Lucy and Wyatt's room, Wyatt sat on the edge of the bed, elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped together as he leaned forward. "Do you think Flynn's right about Arnette? Do you think she was part of the whole...Bloodstone or Rittenhouse thing?"

Lucy shrugged half-heartedly as she turned away from the bookshelf. "It's possible. I mean, we've seen it before with people we never expected-"

"I know, it's just…" his voice trailed for a moment. "I just don't understand what they're trying to accomplish - especially with this mission."

Lucy sighed, sitting next to him on the bed. She slid her arms around his shoulders, before lifting her legs into his lap. He moved his arms and gently cradled her legs. "Well, who's to say that Arnette wasn't helping them to protect those she loved?"

"You think she willingly helped Rittenhouse to save her sister?"

Another shrug from Lucy as she admitted, "People have done worse things in the name of love."

Wyatt gritted his teeth, sighing lightly. His mind raced with how he felt regarding Jessica. Would he have done the same for her if given the chance? He turned his gaze over to Lucy and watched the gentle loving smile form on her lips and he knew that he'd never be able to do that to Lucy. Jessica was his world in his past. Lucy was his world now and the future - this he was convinced.

He leaned forward, kissing Lucy gently before nuzzling his face into the nape of her neck, breathing her in. "I love you, baby doll."

She buried her fingers into his hair, leaning her head onto his, her smile widening at their nickname for each other. "And I love you, sweetheart."

Rufus paced in the room he shared with Jiya. She sat on the bed, crossed legged as she watched him pad nervously around the room. He ran his hand over his head as he spoke, "Did I do the wrong thing? I don't even know anymore…"

Jiya twisted her lips as she hesitated to speak up. His eyes met hers, expecting an answer, pausing his pacing. Her eyes widened and mouth fell open, stammering, "I-I...I mean, maybe? I don't know-"

"I took a risk and I'm not even sure the risk was the right one," he admitted, resuming his pacing. "I mean, the horse was so agitated and I knew that Sonora was going to be riding it and even though I had no way of knowing what was in the syringe-"

"Rufus?"

"God, what if I had killed the horse?"

"Rufus?"

"I could have killed a horse, Jiya!" he repeated. "What if she was on the horse?"

"Rufus!" Jiya practically shouted. He stopped in his tracks, eyes darting over to her. She raised a hand to try and calm him. "You did the right thing, okay?"

He sighed, shoulders slumping forward in a defeated manner. "Then why do I feel like I'm just as bad as Rittenhouse?"

Jiya stood up from the bed, crossing over to him and wrapping her arms around him tightly. She nestled her head on his shoulder. "I know it's confusing and even a little scary, but I know you, okay? You're not a monster and you're not Rittenhouse. You saved a woman today, Rufus. You saved her livelihood and gave her a new life - one without suffering."

Rufus's once tense posture softened even more as he wrapped his arms around her. He buried his nose into her hair, inhaling the familiar and comforting smell of honey and peppermint. "Thank you for this."

Jiya just nodded, keeping her embrace around him tight, knowing he needed that reassurance. She knew that at this moment, she had to be the strong one. It was all she could do.


	24. A Prayer And A Whisper

Amy cautiously made her way down the long hallway toward Rowan's room. Her brown eyes darted down each side of the open hall, afraid she'd run into Emma again. Her heartbeat against her ribs as she made her way slowly through the empty corridors. Her nerves were running rampant. She could feel her hands trembling as she neared Rowan's room.

Stopping before his door, she reached out and gently tapped on it. She glanced over her shoulders, feeling eyes on her. When there was no one around, she tapped on the door again, a feeling of panic building.

The door slowly opened and she was face to face with Rowan. He saw the fear written on her face and motioned for her to enter, head darting out into the hallway, only to see it empty.

Closing the door behind him, he turned to face her, concern evident in his expression. With a soothing tone, he asked, "Are ye all right?"

Amy's mouth fell open as she blinked at him. Her words were stuck in her throat. She didn't know how to tell him the truth - especially when she was having doubts about what the truth was.

He saw the struggle with her thoughts as he studied her. His stormy blue eyes softened as he approached her. "Amy? What's going on? Talk to me."

Taking a slow, deep, and shaky breath in, she closed her eyes to steady her nerves. When she opened her eyes again, Rowan was standing inches before her, hands holding her shoulders gently as he stared deep into her eyes. She licked her lips before letting the words fall out on their own accord. "What happened to me?"

His brow furrowed at her question. "What do ye mean?" His eyes darted around her face, wondering where she was going with this. He could hear the desperation behind her tone.

She sighed heavily, pulling away from him and placing her palm to her forehead. "I don't know, Rowan," she said. "I don't know anymore. I'm so confused-"

"About what?"

"Everything," she admitted, dropping her hand from her head. She turned back to face him. "Tell me the truth...why does Emma hate me?"

"She hates everyone," he told her with a shrug. Amy shot him a disapproving glance. He added, "It's true. She hates everyone except herself." After a moment, he asked, "Is that what this is about? What she did to ye in the hallway?"

Amy sat down on the edge of his bed. She shook her head, blinking tears away from her eyes. "I just...I don't…" a sharp sigh blew from her lips. "What will happen to me if she corners me again and I'm unable to defend myself against her?" Rowan crossed his arms over his chest, listening to her. She added, "Carol told me that I was a fighter and yet...I don't feel like one…"

Rowan stepped forward, kneeling before her, his hands rested on the edge of the bed on either side of her. "If that's what is bothering ye, I can help ye." Her eyes lifted to meet his as he stated, "If ye're worried about defending yerself, then let me train ye."

Amy blinked at him in shock. She hadn't expected him to offer training her so easily. She averted her gaze to her lap. He tilted his head at her, waiting for whatever else on her mind to come forward. When she didn't speak, he stood up and pointed out, "Something tells me that wasn't the only thing worrying ye."

She hesitated. He saw the lingering fear on her face. He sat next to her, voice calm and quiet as he said, "Ye have to trust someone, Amy. Let me be that person for ye."

She turned her eyes toward him. Chewing on the inside of her lip, she studied his face. The sincerity of his expression told her he was telling the truth. She swallowed nervously, deciding she had no other choice but to trust him. "Quinn mentioned that I'm not safe here...but from who?"

Rowan's jaw tensed. She could see his mind working to come up with an answer. He licked his lips before saying, "Rittenhouse."

Her brows furrowed. "Aren't we all Rittenhouse?"

He shook his head, his eyes darkening. "No, we're not all Rittenhouse."

Amy watched the shift in his posture as he said those words. She could see the contempt in his body as he spoke of Rittenhouse. "What happened to you and Quinn?"

He raised his eyebrow as he glanced at her. "What makes ye think that something happened?"

"You seem angry with them for something," she pointed out. "You and Quinn both have said not to trust them-"

"Listen," he began, voice lowering to a whisper. "Rittenhouse is not to be trusted. They've done…" He swallowed, almost choking his words back.

"What have they done?"

Rowan shook his head slightly. "Horrible things." She studied his face, seeing the range of emotions washing over his features. She noticed the briefest hint of fear behind his eyes. She reached out and covered his hand with hers.

His eyes lifted to meet hers. She held his gaze as she whispered, "Whatever happens, I trust you. I trust Quinn. You both have been there for me when I needed it the most. I know I can count on you…And whatever it is Rittenhouse has done to you - to Quinn - I want to be there next to you both as you stop them."

He smiled warmly at her, covering her hand with his free one. Instead of continuing with this conversation, he suggested, "Ye should see Quinn. I know he misses ye."

She nodded. "I will in a minute," she said, eyes studying his face. "I just want to make sure you're okay before I leave." She could see that he was deflecting a matter he simply didn't wish to delve into at the moment, however, she refused to walk away from him when it was painfully obvious he was hurting.

A small smile graced his lips as he held her stare. "I think I will be… Thank ye, Amy."

The two sat next to each other in comfortable silence. For the first time since she was brought to this place, Amy felt a sense of security sitting with Rowan. Something was comforting about his presence. She knew deep down that he would protect her from the world if it came down to it - it was just an instinctual feeling - one she couldn't deny.

A few hours later, Amy found herself sitting next to Quinn's hospital bed. He was still asleep and she couldn't bring herself to wake him up. She decided to sit beside him, patiently waiting for him to stir on his own accord. She had checked his IV and his bandages. Ever since the pinched line before, she had made a mental note to make sure he was getting the proper care he deserved.

She studied his face as he slept. He seemed almost peaceful - unlike the troubled glances he gave her when he was awake and alert. She worried for him a lot of the time when she left in the machine. Even the times she came to visit, he always seemed on edge and concerned for her wellbeing, oftentimes telling her to heed his warnings.

As she sat there, eyes lingering along his features, she couldn't help but feel that he wasn't safe either. He continued to make sure she was all right - even while he remained stuck in the hospital bed inside the infirmary - but Amy was beginning to question if these people were doing something to him when she was forced out onto these missions.

Her mind swam with the sickening thoughts that perhaps her feelings and fears were true. She tried to piece together the reasoning behind why Rittenhouse - or even her mother - would do something so horrific to Quinn. He had been there for her since they found her in the rubble. He had been there to help her, despite being in a critical state himself, when they went back to rescue her sister.

The memory of that mission reminded her of her bandaged wrist. Her dark eyes darted down to the wrapping. She set to the task of removing the gauze. There was a small hint of blood that had seeped into the material but when she examined her wrist, she noticed a small inch wide scar. She blinked at it, trying to remember what happened but was drawing a blank. She lifted her eyes back to Quinn.

One thing was certain as she stared at his sleeping and bandaged face - something sinister was happening behind closed doors - and they were happening to the people she cared for - maybe even to herself.

Amy realized that he wouldn't wake up for some time. She pushed herself to her feet and leaned over to kiss his forehead gently. She gave him a small smile before turning and heading out of the room, tossing her bandage into the trash as she left. She would return later to check in on him but for now, she was determined to begin the next step on her checklist.

She walked with a newfound purpose as she navigated through the old hallways, Amy found herself before a familiar door. She blinked at it, reminding herself of what she needed to do. Raising her hand, she knocked on the door with confidence. As she stood there waiting for it to open, that confidence began to dissolve into panic and worry, questioning herself as the moments passed.

The door creaked open slowly. Her brown eyes lifted to meet the stormy blue ones of Rowan. His brow knitted together briefly as he studied her face quickly. "Amy? What's wrong?"

She twisted her lips in thought before admitting, "I just came back from seeing Quinn-"

"What's happened?" he asked, voice rising with concern for his brother. He pushed the door open further. "Is he okay?"

She blinked at the questions, realizing how she had caused undue fear and panic. "Oh, he's fine! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it like that-"

He sighed a breath of relief before reaching out and grasping her arm gently, tugging her into his room. He closed the door behind her. Turning around to face her, he asked, "Are ye all right?"

She licked her lips. "I got to thinking that...well...I mean…" She closed her eyes briefly to take a breath in and regain her thoughts. When she gathered herself, she opened her dark eyes to see Rowan standing before her, head tilted off to the side, arms crossed over his chest, clearly pondering what was on her mind. She tried again. "I want you to start training me. I need to know how to defend myself - protect myself and…"

Her voice drifted off and Rowan waited for a moment before raising an eyebrow at her. "And?"

Her eyes darted about his face before she finished her thought. "And so I can protect Quinn and you."

His lips curved upward into a smile as he blinked at her. "What makes ye think we need protection?"

"Because I realized that maybe I'm not the only one who should be careful here," she explained. "I get this unsettled feeling like maybe when we leave on these missions...maybe Quinn is a target-"

"Don't worry so much about Quinn," Rowan began, dropping his arms to his sides. "Quinn knows what he's doing."

"Does he?" she countered. "Because he's doped up on medications that I'm pretty sure are illegal."

Rowan's brows furrowed as he watched her carefully. "What do ye mean?"

"I don't know...I don't even know how I know…" she started, shaking her head, clearly confused. "I just get this sense that he's being given something that's making him worse…" She lifted her eyes to meet Rowan's. She scoffed. "Who the hell am I, Rowan?"

He closed the small gap between the two of them, gently grasping her shoulders. "I'm not sure...but we'll find the answer to that together, all right? Ye have my word on that."

His eyes held a sincerity to them and a mixture of worry and fear for her as she gazed into them. She stood before him, convinced he was her biggest ally in all of this. She felt calm and protected in his presence. This wasn't the first time she felt this way about him and she knew it wouldn't be the last.

Rowan studied her face, eyes lingering at her lips. "When did ye want to begin?"

Her lips lifted at the corners, turning into a smile. "How about now?"

The days had started to drift by, melting into one another. Amy had a difficult time keeping track of the real date with every day that went by. She kept busy with daily sparring lessons with Rowan and evening visits with Quinn. She tried her best to avoid Emma and oftentimes, her own mother.

Quinn continued to recover from the wounds he received back on that mission involving Lucy and the car in the river. He no longer sported the head bandage but had graduated to facial bandages. He still had a long way to go with recovery but to be able to see his face brought a smile to Amy's face.

Amy continued to work with Rowan every day. She had been terrible at the sparring but as the lessons continued, she was beginning to hold her own. She knew she'd never be able to reach the same level as Rowan or Emma, but she had the confidence knowing she'd be less of a victim if something were to occur, especially with the red-headed woman.

On this particular afternoon, Amy found herself on the balls of her feet, hands raised at the level of her eyes as she watched Rowan's movements carefully.

He was in a similar stance as he bounced on his feet, circling her, looking for an opportunity to present itself for an attack. He smirked as he watched the intensity in her eyes as she tracked him. He felt proud of her quick learning ability.

She kept her eyes locked with his. She noticed his eyes barely shifted as he stepped toward her, left hand swinging toward her. She stepped back, blocking the blow with her hands. He swung his other hand toward her. She released her hold on his left hand to stop the strike from the right.

With his long arms, he separated her hands as far as they would go, swinging his right foot behind her heels, kicking her feet out from under her. Her eyes grew wide as she felt herself falling to the floor.

He held onto her wrists as she started falling, keeping her from fully hitting the ground. She could see his expression holding amusement as she slid between his legs. Linking her legs around his, she knocked him off balance.

He released his hold of her, catching himself as he tumbled forward onto the padded floor. She rolled over, scrambling to her feet before lunging onto his back, arms wrapped around his neck in a chokehold from behind.

Rowan grasped her arms, tugging her over his shoulders. She landed on her back, releasing a short gasp from her lips. As she opened her eyes to recover, Rowan was already over her, knee pressed into her neck, holding her firmly in place.

Images of her practicing her self defense skills come rushing forward as she stared up at Rowan. Instead of Rowan, however, she saw Flynn gazing down at her, wearing a similar amused smile on his lips. She cleared her throat, blinking back the memories. She felt a bit disturbed by the sudden memory as this wasn't the first time she had recalled something involving Flynn - and she hoped it didn't show on her expression.

Rowan smirked as he held her gaze. "Not bad. Ye're getting better." Based on his remark, Amy relaxed, feeling that he was none the wiser to her sudden remembrance.

As he began to lift his knee, she smiled at him, grasping his calf hard and jerking him off balance. He tumbled onto the ground, back against the floor. She jumped onto his abdomen, straddling him, her forearms pressed into his neck. She smiled wide at him. "I had a good teacher."

He chuckled softly as his stormy blue eyes lingered on her face. He wrapped his arms around her waist as he sat up. "Ye're a fast learner."

She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, from the sparring or the close proximity to Rowan at the current moment, she was not sure. Her eyes bounced around his face, hyper-aware of their current proximity.

Rowan's hold on her as she wrapped her hands around his neck tightened. His eyes showed an intensity and desire that she hadn't noticed before. She could see the battle taking place within his mind as he chose to keep his distance. She swallowed her nerves as she felt butterflies beginning to form in her stomach. His eyes darted to her lips, leaning slightly toward her.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, the door to the gym opened. Amy glanced over Rowan's shoulder to see Emma standing there, arms crossed over her chest, amused smirk on her face. Amy cleared her throat as she pushed herself off of Rowan.

Once the two were standing on their feet, they turned their attention to Emma. She laughed, "Oh, I do hope I was interrupting something-"

"What do ye want Emma?" Rowan asked, placing his hands on his hips.

Her smirk remained on her face as her green eyes darted between the two of them, clearly amused by whatever was happening. "Carol wants you cleaned up and ready to go within the hour."

"Go where?" Rowan asked. He bent down and grabbed his white gym towel from the bench nearby. He wiped the drops of sweat on his face-off, tossing the towel over his shoulder when he was done.

Emma shrugged. "I didn't ask."

"I have a hard time believing ye," Rowan muttered as she left them alone once more. Amy turned and looked at Rowan. He met her gaze and offered a half-smile. "Come on. Better get cleaned up."

It took Amy and Rowan forty minutes to go their separate ways to get cleaned up and back to the room that held the Mothership. Amy's dark eyes scanned the room, watching the agents gathering their supplies for this mission, Emma being among them.

Carol walked into the room after Rowan and Amy. "Amy?" Amy turned to glance at her mother. Carol asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I was going?"

Carol shook her head. "Not this time."

Furrowing her brow, Amy's eyes darted between Carol, Emma, and Rowan. She turned back to Carol. "Why?"

"This is a quick mission," she explained. "They need to move fast."

Emma's smirk didn't go unnoticed by Amy. Rowan tilted his head at Carol, almost questioning the decision. He knew Quinn wasn't out of the infirmary yet and he worried what would happen to Amy if left by herself.

Carol looked at Amy with sad eyes. "Why don't you take a break. I'll come find you when they've gone."

Amy's eyes bounced between Carol and Rowan. Without having any other options, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.

Emma chuckled. "She reminds me of Princess Lucy with those pouting fits."

Carol rolled her eyes as she turned to address the rest of the team to update them on their new mission.


	25. The Boy Feared By Time

Jiya typed madly at the keyboard, silencing the loud bunker alarms before turning her attention to the information scrolling on her screen. She knew the rest of the bunker's occupants had gathered behind her. She announced, "Passau, Germany...uh...January 1894."

The silence from the team was enough for Agent Christopher. She knew none of them had an idea of why Rittenhouse had chosen that particular time. She nodded curtly. "Head out. Be safe."

The usual four-man crew climbed into the Lifeboat as quickly as they could. The hatch shut and the machine whirled to life. It vanished from the present, launching itself through time to their destination.

1894

The team emerged from the Lifeboat, shivering from the cold winter weather. As they trudged through the few inches of snow on the ground into town, Rufus blew hot air into his hands before asking, "Is there a complaint office for Rittenhouse? I mean, is it so hard for them to pick a nice warm place to screw up history in? What about...the Caribbean?"

Lucy's voice trembled as she replied, "Well, there were the pirates, genocide, slavery-"

"Fine! How about just a place warmer than the old freezer-burned fish sticks back at the bunker?" Rufus retorted. "I mean, I don't know who asked for those but...I think it's safe to say they are popsicles now!"

"Like your fingers?" Wyatt joked. Rufus glared at him as they rounded the corner into the town. If it didn't mean pulling his hands from the warmth of his pockets, Rufus would have smacked him.

Passau sat on the edge of the Austrian border where three rivers intersected. There was a large mission near the town square. Several houses lined the river banks on all fronts. Just behind the church was a crate full of donations for the immigrants and poor, mostly old clothes, shoes, some jewelry, books, and other things. The team wasted no time to dress properly for the time and weather.

They stepped into the church with their gathered items, slipping into the confession's box to change. When they emerged into the main hall of the church, Lucy's eyes roamed the elegant paintings and delicately carved details in the oak banisters.

As she roamed the open hall, taking in the beauty within the four walls, she lifted her brown eyes to the crucifix of Jesus hanging from the glass-stained window wall. Each pane of the stained glass depicted a different story of Jesus's life. She was amazed at the details of the artistry.

A voice cleared behind them. When they turned around, the priest began speaking to them. Wyatt immediately began to speak on their behalf. Flynn neared Lucy and Rufus, quietly translating, "He was telling us the time of services."

Flynn's gaze turned back to Wyatt and the priest. He continued, "Wyatt's asking him if he's seen anything or anyone unusual…" a short chuckle came from Flynn before he said, "He said us…" he stopped, brows furrowing. "And four others…"

Rufus's face scrunched up. "You don't think this is a Bloodstone mission, do you?"

Flynn shook his head, eyes drifting to the door of the church. "No, I don't think this is a Bloodstone mission."

"How do you know that?" Rufus asked. "Did he say that?"

"No-"

"Well then-"

"He didn't have to," Flynn cut him off again. "Because Emma is standing right there."

The team glanced over to the door to the church. Standing there with her gloved hands clasped together before her, Emma smiled at them. Behind her were three men - one of them Flynn recognized as the one who had been with Tenley on the train and who took her from him in Atlantic City.

Emma smiled her sly grin at the team. "Long time no see."

"Emma," Wyatt growled. "What do you want?"

"It's always a pleasure to see you again, Wyatt," she replied, sarcasm dripping off her words. She rolled her eyes slightly as she turned her gaze over to the others. "I'm here as a courtesy. Go home."

"Why would we ever listen to you?" Wyatt hissed.

Emma's lips twisted in annoyance. "Listen carefully," she started, glaring at Wyatt. "We're not here to destroy history, all right? We're here to save it."

"Save it?" Rufus repeated. "Since when?"

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you," Emma retorted. "You said it yourself: 'Why would we believe you?'." She smirked as the team stared back at her. She sucked her teeth before taking a step forward. "What if I told you that to save millions, only one had to die?"

"Is that how you justify what you're doing?" Wyatt spat. "To make yourselves believe you're saving people?"

Emma's amused expression darted over to Lucy. "You have no idea about the importance of this place, do you?" When she saw Lucy's eyes darting about as though she were reading an imaginary book, Emma added, "Well, you'll figure it out soon enough or perhaps too late."

The three men behind Emma stepped forward, guns aimed at the team. Flynn's eyes glared at the blond man he recognized.

Emma shrugged. "It's been fun but I have business to take care of." She motioned for the priest to come to her. The priest hesitated but eventually left with her.

As the Rittenhouse agents approached the team, guns aimed at them, the taller of the three spoke, "Sit down. Get comfortable."

Flynn's eyes never left the blond man before him. The blond stared back at Flynn, a knowing expression worn on his face. He approached Flynn and said, "Have a seat."

Flynn sat down, brows furrowed as he asked, "Where is she?"

"Safe," the man replied, voice lowered so the other agents wouldn't hear.

Flynn's expression faltered for a moment. He hadn't expected the man to speak softly. He felt deep within his soul that something was wrong. "Where is she?" he asked again.

The man blinked at him. "I told ye, she's safe."

"How do I know that?" Flynn spat. "And why should I trust anything you say to me?"

The man inhaled deeply before saying, "Look, I'm trying to help her-"

Flynn scoffed. "Help?"

"Believe it or not, I'm not her enemy," the man said. "I'm protecting her from them." The man's eyes had darted over to the other agents when he spoke the word 'them'.

Flynn stared at the man's stormy blue eyes. For the first time since meeting this man, he could see the truth behind the man's gaze. He meant every word he was saying. Flynn wasn't sure if this man was sincere or if he was a really good actor.

The man lowered his voice even more as he lowered himself to appear intimidating towards Flynn. "I know it's a lot to ask but I'm hoping ye can learn to trust me. For her sake."

"Rowan!" one of the other agents shouted. "Emma's looking for you!"

Rowan stood up, jaw tensing as he straightened. Flynn could see the disdain on the man's face. Rowan's eyes darted back to Flynn. He whispered, "Don't do anything stupid, yeah? Amy needs-"

"That's not her name!" Flynn hissed.

Rowan nodded. "I know." He turned his back to Flynn, meandered across the church, and left.

Rufus leaned slightly over toward Flynn. "What's his problem?"

Flynn sighed heavily, gritting his teeth. He wasn't in the mood for Rufus's jokes. He watched the other two agents carefully. He hoped to find some moment of opportunity to take them down. His eyes darted over to where Wyatt sat. Their eyes locked briefly, both in silent agreement on how to proceed.

They'd need to act fast but together if they were to make this planned attack work. They also needed to wait for the right moment. For now, they had to wait.

The minutes felt like hours as they slowly ticked by. With each passing one, the tension inside the church continued to rise. The Rittenhouse agents were beginning to grow restless, leaving Wyatt and Flynn to silently plan their attack through eye and head movements.

Their moment of opportunity finally came when distant screams outside the church filtered slowly in. As the agents glanced at one another, turning slightly to look at the large wooden doors to the church, both Wyatt and Flynn pounced from their pews, lunging forward to take down their guards.

The two agents were taken by surprise, unable to fully defend themselves as Wyatt and Flynn overpowered them with relative ease. Rufus and Lucy slid off the pew, looking for a safe corner to hunker into as the others worked to retrieve the agents' weapons.

Wyatt's fist slammed into the man before him, knocking him unconscious to the floor. He picked up the gun and turned to look at Flynn. Flynn had done the same with his agent.

Flynn ran a hand through his black hair, blowing a short sigh from his lips as his eyes darted behind Wyatt to where Lucy and Rufus were beginning to stand up.

Wyatt nodded curtly at Flynn. "Let's go."

The two men, armed with the Rittenhouse agents' guns, sprinted toward the church doors. They paused long enough to glance at one another to make sure they were ready before shoving the wood doors open. They ran out of the church, guns aimed before them as they raced for some cover.

Rufus and Lucy watched them as they darted out into the cold world. Rufus motioned to the open doors. "They totally just reenacted the ending to Butch & Sundance."

Flynn and Wyatt darted into cover, making their way toward the direction of the screams. Wyatt called out to Flynn, "Sounds like it's near the river!"

Flynn nodded once, running between the brownstone buildings as quickly as he could, the snow beneath his feet crunched with each step. As he broke through the alley to the other side, he could see the waterfront of the frozen river.

Just on the edge of the river, gazing out across it, were a group of six children, pointing and screaming. He glanced over his shoulder as Wyatt continued running straight for them, passing Flynn by. Cursing inwardly, Flynn followed behind.

Wyatt rushed up to the clustered children. He shouted in German for the children to move, his blue eyes landing on a hole in the ice on the river. He could see splashing within the icy waters.

Flynn skidded to a stop as he neared. He shouted, "Wyatt! Wait!"

Wyatt ignored Flynn as he rushed out onto the ice. He knew he couldn't hesitate - whoever was in the water wouldn't survive. He could hear the frozen river beneath his feet creaking and straining under his weight. He slid to his stomach to redistribute his weight evenly across the fragile surface.

The cold penetrated Wyatt's clothes, sinking into his bones. He pushed himself across the ice quickly, nearing the opening. As his fingers landed into the water pooling onto the surface, he feared for whoever was in the river.

Wyatt's upper body dipped into the cold water as he plunged his arms into the freezing water. He couldn't feel anyone near the surface. Without wasting another moment, Wyatt pushed himself headfirst into the freezing river, diving down to search for the person he knew to be there.

The cold water felt like needles and pins penetrating his skin, sticking to his bones, keeping him immobile. Groaning in discomfort, he forced himself to open his eyes and quickly find the person. He could see the faint silhouette of a small body sinking to the bottom of the river. He kicked his legs which were now seizing to propel himself deeper.

Once he was in reach, he grabbed ahold of the small frame, gripping tight as he kicked hard back to the hole in the ice - which he could see easily. When he reached the spot, his hand stopped at the thin layer of ice that had formed since his descent.

Choking on his breath, Wyatt tried to burst through the layer with his fist. The water softened his blows, preventing him from easily breaking through. He released a bit of his breath, still gripping on the small body as he tried again.

Just as his vision started to disappear, the water around him splashed. The icy layer above him broke, bringing him to the surface. He gasped heavily as the frigid air invaded his lungs, burning them slightly. Hands gripped his coat at the shoulders, pulling him closer to the edge of the hole.

Wyatt moved the small body in his arms over. "Take him!"

Flynn slipped his hand under the boy's small frame, lifting him out of the water. He pushed himself away from the hole in the ice until he was far enough away to pass the child off to Rufus. Once he did that, he slid back to the hole to help Wyatt out.

Rufus ran the child to the bank, laying him on solid ground. He began to check the kid's breathing. "He's not breathing." He bent down to give the kid CPR while the residents stood about staring and crying.

Flynn and Wyatt climbed up the river bank to where Rufus was. Wyatt asked, "Is he alive?"

Rufus continued his chest compressions. "I'm working on it!"

Wyatt's eyes darted about the crowd. He didn't see any Rittenhouse agents, nor Lucy. His heart stopped. "Where's Lucy?"

"Here!" her voice spoke beside him. His eyes landed on her before drifting down to the wool blankets in her hands. She passed one over to Wyatt. He wrapped it around himself quickly.

Lucy held another blanket out for Flynn. He shook his head, eyes locked on with Rufus and the child on the ground. He couldn't tear his eyes away. He studied the size of the child, knowing he couldn't be any older than three or four.

Just when it seemed all hope was lost, the kid choked, lurching to cough up the frozen water from his lungs. Happy cries and startled gasps from the residents of Passau were heard. The boy shivered, blinking up at Rufus.

Lucy quickly draped the blanket over the boy's small frame, running her hands up and down his arms to try and warm him up.

Rufus knew the boy wouldn't understand him but he asked the question anyway, "Are you all right?"

The boy glared at Rufus. He didn't blink or speak a word. His pale skin was about as white as the snow surrounding him. His lips were blue and his wet black hair stuck to his face. His teeth chattered against one another as he stared at Rufus.

Rufus's brow knitted together, wondering what was wrong with the kid. "You're welcome…"

Just as Flynn took a step toward the concerned crowd to ask about the boy, another scream echoed from the alley nearby. Flynn motioned for the others to remain with the boy as he rushed across the snowy field to the back of the houses.

Rounding the corner, his eyes fell upon the priest from earlier, kneeling over the body of a teenage boy. Flynn slowly approached, asking in German, what had happened.

The priest stood up to console the woman as she sobbed, explaining to Flynn that the boy was a priest in training. He mentioned how the boy heard the screams from the river and tried to investigate when a red-headed woman gunned him down before his mother's eyes.

Flynn gritted his teeth hard. His eyes drifted down to the young man in the snow. His blood was pooling around him, melting the snow slightly and coloring it red.

Sighing heavily, Flynn's hot breath could be seen against the cold day. He ran a hand through his hair as he asked about the young boy they pulled from the river. His blood ran cold as the priest answered him.

The nearly drowned boy was called Adolf Hitler.


	26. The Game Changer

Flynn found the team back inside the church. The young boy from the river sat by the iron stove for warmth, the wool blanket still draped around his small frame. The old priest passed him a mug of hot tea before lifting his gaze up to the approaching Flynn.

Lucy's eyes lingered on the man as he crossed the room toward them. She could see it on his posture and expression that something horrible had happened. She asked, "What's wrong?"

Flynn's eyes remained locked with the young boy sitting by the hot fire. He feared answering the question - not because of the answer he'd give but because of what he wanted to suggest they do.

Lucy saw the confliction on his face. She glanced at Rufus and Wyatt, motioning for them to join her as she approached Flynn. When they clustered together, she whispered, "What's going on?"

Flynn couldn't tear his eyes away from the child. "That boy is Hitler."

The team whirled around, glancing at the boy in stunned silence. Rufus stammered, "Hitler? As in the Hitler?" Flynn nodded glumly. Rufus groaned. "You mean, I gave Hitler mouth-to-mouth? I saved his life?!"

Lucy shushed him, hoping it wasn't too late. She didn't want the boy to know they were speaking about him. Her dark eyes darted behind them at the boy who seemed blissfully unaware of their conversation. She turned back to the team. "So, what do we do?"

Wyatt shook his head, readjusting the blanket around his shoulders. "We can't let him live, right?"

"What?" Lucy gasped.

Wyatt glared at her. "You can't be serious." When he saw her 'we can't destroy history' look that she gave frequently, he added, "You can't seriously be okay with letting that monster live after you know full well what he's capable of doing-"

"Maybe he won't-"

Flynn interrupted her. "Just like Rittenhouse all over again." He pinched the bridge to his nose as he recalled the day he tried to stop Rittenhouse before it began and Lucy put herself between the boy and his gun.

She scoffed, shaking her head. "We're talking about murdering an innocent child-"

"Hardly innocent," Wyatt remarked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Lucy turned her gaze back to Flynn. "Imagine if he were Iris...could you really do that to someone's child? Give them the same kind of pain you went through?"

Flynn clenched his fists as his heated gaze turned to her. "Iris wasn't a notorious monster!"

Rufus glanced between the two, feeling the tension rising fast. He cleared his throat. "Do you think Emma was sent here to kill this kid?"

Lucy sighed heavily, thinking over the details. "Huh."

"What does that mean?" Rufus asked. "What's 'huh'?"

Lucy glanced about the group. "There was a brief mention of something like this in history books...about a priest rescuing a boy from the river and the boy turned out to be Hitler but it was always sort of rumor...The people of Passau claimed it to be true for years after the war-"

Wyatt pulled the blanket tighter around him. "Maybe we should have listened to Emma-"

"You can't be serious," Rufus muttered.

Wyatt blinked at him. "What is with you guys? We know what horrible things he ends up doing-"

"We're talking in circles," Flynn complained. He shook his head. "If we are going to let him live, then why are we still here?"

Lucy lowered her head slightly as she mulled over their options. She knew the horrors this boy would do if history continued on the way it was intended. She knew how many lives would be lost in the years to come. She felt conflicted as she thought over what to do. There was a power in time travel - this being one of them.

After a moment, she lifted her eyes to meet those staring back at her. She sighed, feeling outnumbered and bullied. All she could do was shrug.

Rufus could see how much this weighed on her. He rubbed the back of his neck. "She's right," he said with a sigh. "We're better than this. If we kill him, we're no better than Rittenhouse or…" he glanced over his shoulder at the boy. "Him."

Wyatt gritted his teeth. "I think this is a mistake."

Rufus shook his head. "If we kill him, your grandfather will never serve in the 101st," he began. "And then you won't join the military to make him proud." Wyatt blinked at Rufus, the words reaching his mind. Rufus added, "And that alone could mess with the timeline to a point where it could be even more catastrophic than what you want to do here now."

Wyatt scoffed. "When did you become a history guardian?"

Lucy smiled at Rufus, thankful that someone had the sense to speak the truth for once. Rufus had caught her gaze and returned the small smile. It was clear that he didn't agree with the decision.

Flynn growled. "Then we best get out of here."

Lucy nodded, turning to look at the priest and the boy. She hoped that by Rufus being the one to save Hitler, he wouldn't do what he was known for. She also understood that some things did exactly as destiny fated people to do. That was the case in regards to Rittenhouse.

The team bid goodbye to the old priest and the young Hitler. They began making their way across the empty church towards the big wooden doors. As they neared the doors, they heard the priest begging for peace.

Whirling around, the team spotted the two Rittenhouse agents from before. Wyatt pulled his gun from his holster, opening fire upon them. Lucy and Rufus dove for cover as Flynn followed Wyatt's lead.

The two men hunkered behind the pews for cover as they returned fire. The Rittenhouse agents fired off a few rounds before fleeing back into the priests' entrance.

Flynn bolted to his feet, rushing after them. Wyatt called after him, "Flynn!" He gave chase, trying to catch up. Flynn disappeared into the side room.

Wyatt rushed in, aiming his gun before him, carefully scanning his surroundings. "Flynn?" he called out. He didn't want to announce his location to the Rittenhouse agents, but he also didn't want to be shot by Flynn by mistake.

The back rooms of the church were quiet, only adding to the growing tension. Wyatt inched his way down the hall, hoping to spot some kind of sign of the others. His heart slammed into his chest, pounding in his ears. He struggled to hear anything else.

A scuffling from behind him alerted him to a sudden presence. He whirled around, his gun aimed before him. He saw the dark figure looming in the doorway. His brain processed the image just a moment too slow as his finger pulled the trigger. The shot went off, echoing loudly in the back hallway. Then he saw the face of the figure.

Wyatt's jaw fell open, heart-stopping in his chest. His ears were ringing from the shot and his breath caught in his throat. His eyes watched as if in slow motion, the small body of the boy he had rescued from the river, slumped onto the old stone floor, blood pooling out from his chest, staining the clothes and creating a river of blood underneath him.

The shot brought every member of the Time Team, and even the priest, into the hall to check things out. When they spotted the dead boy on the floor, the priest immediately shouted at Wyatt, cursing him for bringing this pain and torment to the boy's mother. Wyatt wanted to apologize but he couldn't form the words.

Lucy and Rufus stared at the body, blinking up at Wyatt. It was clear on their expressions how confused they were about what had happened. Footsteps behind Wyatt echoed on the stones. He glanced over his shoulder to see Flynn rejoining them.

Flynn's brows knitted together as he stared at the scene before him. He glanced back at Wyatt. "What happened?"

Rufus quipped, "Wyatt just shot Hitler."

"I can see that," Flynn remarked, holding back the urge to roll his eyes. He turned back to Wyatt. "What happened?"

"I-I don't know…" Wyatt finally managed to say. The pain and guilt wore on him. He blinked, trying to think up a reason for what took place. His brain simply wasn't processing the details.

Flynn gritted his teeth. He could see the confliction on Wyatt's expression and knew that whatever had happened, it wasn't intentional. He said, "Rittenhouse is gone. I chased them as far as I could before they disappeared."

"So…" Lucy asked, glancing up at them. "What do we do now?"

Amy found herself growing anxious as she waited for the crew to return from their mission. Finally unable to take it any longer, she decided to head to the infirmary and see how Quinn was doing. The last time she had stopped by, he was asleep.

Rounding the corner into his room, Amy spotted the doctor in charge tending to Quinn's needs. The doctor lifted his gaze as she entered. He didn't smile or acknowledge her. Amy could have sworn she had spotted the faint sneer on his face.

Amy waited patiently as the doctor continued working. She watched him carefully as he finished checking Quinn's bandages and IV ports. When the doctor left, he brushed by her aggressively as he exited the room.

She turned and watched as the doctor continued down the hallway without ever apologizing to her. Her brow knitted together as she wondered what his deal was.

"Ye came to check up on me?" Quinn's voice said behind her.

She turned to look at him, a smile on her face. "Of course." She padded over to the chair next to his bed and sat down. "How are you feeling?"

Quinn nodded slightly. "Better now that ye've come to see me." He watched her for a moment before asking, "I hear that Rowan's been training with ye. How's that going? Has he been a good teacher for ye?"

She nodded with a smile. "He's been good to me."

"He better be," Quinn joked. "Otherwise, I'll have to kick his arse."

Quinn winked at her to let her know he was kidding. Amy giggled at his remark but then a seriousness washed over her as her mind reminded her of the memories that came to her during the last sparring lesson - memories of Flynn.

Quinn studied her for a moment, his smile disappearing from his face. "What's going on in that head of yers?"

She blinked, lifting her eyes to meet his. "What do you mean?"

His eyes narrowed at her suspiciously. "What aren't ye telling me?" When her expression faltered, he cleared his throat. "What's Rowan doing?"

She blinked at him. "He's on a mission."

Quinn's expression darkened. She had only ever seen him get this way one other time - when he was attacked and told her that she was in danger back when they pulled her sister from the river.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

As he opened his mouth to answer, the alarms in the building sounded briefly, letting everyone know that the Mothership had returned. A knock landed on the doorframe to Quinn's room. Both of them turned to see Carol poking her head inside.

"Amy? They are back," she stated, avoiding looking at Quinn. "I'd like you to come with me."

Amy's eyes bounced between her mother and the angry gaze of Quinn. She slowly stood up, keeping her eyes on Quinn. "I'll come see you again in a little bit, okay?"

He never tore his eyes off of Carol but nodded that he heard Amy.

Amy exited the room, walking next to Carol as they made their way down the hall to the Mothership. Carol asked, "Is everything all right?"

"I think so," Amy replied. She couldn't bring herself to tell her mother that she felt her behavior was unusual. She simply didn't trust her anymore.

Carol kept her eyes on the path before her. "I don't want you to spend any more time with Quinn-"

"What?" Amy gasped, turning to her mother, brows furrowed. "Why not?"

"I'm worried he might be trying to turn you against me," Carol stated, stopping them in the hallway. "And we've worked so hard to make it this far."

"But-"

Carol held up her hand. "I'm not in the mood to fight you on this," she said, continuing to walk. Amy followed her. "I'd like you to just listen to me for once in your life."

"That's unfair," Amy retorted. "I barely remember-"

Carol interrupted Amy as they entered the main room where the Mothership and gathered crew stood. "What happened?"

"It would have gone smoothly had it not been for the others," Emma remarked. Her green eyes bounced between Carol and Amy, clearly able to see the tension between the two. When her eyes landed on Amy, she smirked.

Carol asked, "What happened?"

Emma shrugged. "We took out the priest wannabe but they still managed to save the little brat anyway."

Carol's brows knitted together. "So it was a failure?"

Amy's eyes drifted over to Rowan. He turned his stormy blue eyes over to meet her gaze. His expression told her that something had happened and he needed to talk to her. He broke their connection to turn his attention back to Carol.

Emma tossed her hands out to the side. "You tell me. What does history say?"

"You don't need to get testy, Emma," Carol began.

Emma scoffed. "Until you allow me to take out Princess Lucy and the rest of them, we're going to continue running into this wall-"

Amy gasped, mouth agape as she listened to Emma's request to murder her sister. No one seemed to notice her reaction.

Emma finally sighed, marching out of the room. Carol turned her gaze to Rowan. "What happened?"

Rowan tilted his head slightly as he stated, "She tried talking to them while we were there."

"Really?" Carol asked, almost stunned. "Why would she do that?"

He shrugged. "I don't know why she was talking to them but I don't trust her."

Carol's lips twisted together as she thought over the details. "Thank you, Rowan. Get some rest while you can." She pinched the bridge to her nose, almost as if she had a headache.

Rowan made his way toward Amy and the exit. He wrapped his hand around her upper arm, tugging her gently out of the room with him. She didn't put up a fight. In fact, she knew she'd be in better care with him than her mother.

As they walked down the hallway together in silence, Amy glanced up at Rowan. He had something weighing on his mind as he led her toward his room.

He never took his hand off of her until they reached his room. He opened the door and guided her inside. He glanced about the empty hallway before following her. He closed the door behind him and turned to face her. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" she asked. "You just got back-"

"No-no, something happened here," he said. "I can see it on yer face."

Amy blinked at him. Her mind raced to figure out what to tell him. As she stared up at him, her shoulders slumped forward, giving in to his request. With a defeated sigh, she admitted, "Carol told me to stay away from Quinn."

Rowan's brows knitted together. "Why?"

"She thinks he's going to destroy everything you guys have been working towards," she told him. "And she thinks he's going to turn me against her." She studied his reaction before braving the question, "What does she mean by that, Rowan?"

Rowan shook his head. "She doesn't know what she's talking about," he explained. He watched Amy's expression shift into one that was questioning him. He ran a hand through his hair before admitting, "I'll tell ye a little but Amy, I can't tell ye everything - for yer safety."

She nodded, keeping her eyes locked with his. He motioned for her to sit down on his bed as he placed his hands on his hips. She sat down and waited.

With a sigh, he began, "There are members of Rittenhouse that are a danger to the cause - so much so that they are willing to deviate from the original plan-"

"What's the original plan?"

"Ye know I can't tell ye that," he said, an eyebrow raised. He shifted his weight to the other foot and continued, "I will tell ye this: ye are safer with Quinn or me. Don't let anyone else tell ye differently."

She held his stare. "I know."

Rowan's worried expression softened as his posture relaxed. "Amy," he whispered, padding across the room to sit next to her. He turned his body to look her in the eye. "I don't know what will happen in the days to come but I promise ye, I will help ye get to the place ye're meant to be."

She gave him a half-smile, touching his cheek with her hand. "I know, Rowan...I just wish you could tell me more-"

He cradled her hand with his, almost holding it against his scruffy cheek. "I wish ye didn't have to worry-"

"Look," she interrupted. "We can sit here all night and talk about how much we wish for certain things...but I still don't know what happened to me and why I shouldn't trust my own mother-"

He nodded, pulling her hand from his face. "I know it's a lot to deal with...but ye have to trust yer gut...and keep trusting me. I'll tell ye everything in good and perfect time."

She nodded, pulling her hand away from him and resting it in her lap. Her eyes lingered on her wrist, taking in the small scar that now lined her wrist - a physical reminder that she couldn't trust anyone around her. She sighed, telling herself another wish.

She wished she could remember everything and seek revenge against those that did her wrong. Deep down, she began to suspect that Rittenhouse might be to blame and she started to panic at the idea of taking down an entire organization - potentially by herself.


	27. A Story You Won't Believe

Present Day

The Lifeboat's engines whirred to a stop, just as the hatch opened. The four-man crew climbed out - Wyatt was the last one to emerge, a depressed expression lingering on his distant gaze. Agent Christopher saw it on his face the moment he lifted his head that something terrible had taken place. With her gaze locked onto him, she asked, "What happened?"

"Well," Rufus began, trying to hide the smirk on his lips. "Wyatt totally killed Hitler."

Mason, Jiya, and Christopher exchanged glances. "Who?"

"Seriously?" Rufus balked. He turned to the others. "Did we just stop World War II? The Holocaust? All of it?"

Agent Christopher cleared her throat. "I'm not sure who you're speaking of but the war still happened."

The team stared at her, eyes wide. Lucy finally asked, "So...what about the Holocaust? Please tell me that you don't know what I'm talking about..." Her hands were interlocked together tightly, almost praying silently as she waited on the answer.

Denise offered a sympathetic stare, head dropping slightly. "It did happen, unfortunately…"

"But who-"

Almost as if Agent Christopher knew what her question was going to be, she offered up the information freely. "The Axis was controlled by a man named, Josef Mengele. The Holocaust was one of the worst atrocities to ever take hold of the world."

Lucy's voice quivered. "D-Did you say, 'Josef Mengele'?" When Denise nodded, Lucy turned to the others. "In our timeline, Josef Mengele was known as 'The Angel of Death'...he was a horrible man who was in charge of horrific experiments on-"

"I hate to interrupt the history lesson," Agent Christopher said, hand raising out to stop Lucy before she could go much further. "But what happened? I'm still waiting for you to update us on the mission."

The team took the time to fill in the others on what took place. They discussed the strange behavior of Emma in the church when she approached them, the five-year-old boy in the river that turned out to be Hitler and who he was in their timeline before this mission - and the accident involving Wyatt when he shot the child. By the time they finished regaling their journey, Agent Christopher had a better understanding of why her soldier seemed a bit shell-shocked.

"All right," Christopher said, sadly. "Get some rest. Let's hope they aren't going to jump any time soon." She watched as the team dispersed but she stopped Wyatt. "Try to let what happened go, okay? You didn't know-"

Wyatt nodded half-heartedly. "Except that, I could have killed anyone...it just so happened that I killed that kid-"

"I understand that," she retorted. "But you didn't. You of all people know that you cannot live life by the 'what-ifs'." She sighed when she realized he wasn't listening. "Get some sleep."

She watched as Wyatt trudged down the hallway towards his room, shoulders slumped forward in defeat. She wondered how much longer the team could go on before they finally snapped and crumbled under the pressure of what they were doing. She found herself wishing that their doctor was back in the bunker.

Lucy found herself pulling her history books from the shelf, flipping them open on the bed. When Wyatt walked in, he had hoped to sleep but after seeing the six open books strewn about the gray comforter, he knew he wouldn't see sleep for a while. Even if the bed was free, Lucy would be reading to him from her books, sharing all the new information, and changed history, keeping him awake anyway.

Lucy's brown eyes scanned the words on the book cradled in her hands. "I can't believe just how much some of the things stayed the same...There are some slight differences but-"

"Lucy," Wyatt moaned. He ran his hands down his face. "I'm tired."

Her wide eyes lifted from the page to his face. Her brows knitted together as she studied his posture. "Are you okay?"

He sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. He groaned before leaning slightly to the left to pull the book trapped under him out. He tossed it aside, ignoring the frustrated glare Lucy gave him. His body slumped in defeat as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

Lucy closed the book in her hands, setting it aside. She sat next to him, rubbing his back gently. "What's going on?"

"I murdered that kid, Lucy," he muttered. "And it didn't even stop things from happening anyways…"

"You didn't do it intentionally," she cooed.

"And that makes it all better?" he snapped, raising his head. "I murdered someone in cold blood - a child at that!" He stood up from the bed, running a hand through his hair. He blew a hard sigh from his lips. "I'm no better than Rittenhouse-"

"That is not true!" she countered. "And you know that's not true-"

"They wanted that boy to die," he shouted. "Or do you not remember that?" His hand was outstretched, pointing to an invisible person as he spoke. "They wanted us to stay out of their way, remember? And what did we do? We saved the kid, only to kill him anyway."

"Hitler," Lucy reminded him. "You killed Hitler...Let's not forget what he was known for-"

He growled. "Nothing changed, Lucy! You said it yourself! Why kill one kid when someone just as evil took his place?" He scoffed, before saying, "I'm taking a shower. Don't wait up for me."

Lucy watched as he stormed out of their room, slamming the door closed behind him. She glanced down at her books, wondering if she should sleep in the infirmary again.

Across the bunker, Rufus sat in the common living area with Mason and Jiya. He repeated the story of their recent mission, including the angry glares Hitler gave him after he performed CPR on the kid. He sipped his coffee. "I can't believe that kid though...Who knew he always hated everyone?"

Mason placed his coffee mug on the table. "Some people are just born evil."

Jiya nodded. "From what you said about the original history, it was a good thing...as horrible as that sounds to admit."

"I mean," Rufus began. "Wyatt killed Hitler. He's not even excited about it."

Jiya's brows knitted together as she lowered her mug from her face. "You want him to be excited about killing a kid?"

"You remember that episode of Supernatural that we watched, like a month ago?" Rufus asked, looking at Jiya. She tilted her head as she thought it over before shaking her head. He continued, "Dean killed Hitler. He was excited about it - kept bragging about it-"

"You mean, Dean killed Mengele, right?" Jiya reminded him. After seeing Rufus's expression shift into a 'oh, right' moment, Jiya waved the comment aside and added, "Wyatt killed 'baby-Hitler' - and on accident - not a grown man who was fully aware of right and wrong. There's the difference."

Mason gave Rufus a sympathetic glance with a hidden lecture behind his eyes. He knew he didn't have to say anything to Rufus - he'd come to the conclusion on his own. Jiya sipped her coffee, believing the same as Mason.

Rufus sighed. "You're right...You're right…" He slumped into the chair, resting his hands over his head. "Out of all of the missions we've been on, this has got to be one of the worst."

Inside the solitude of his room, Flynn found himself deep in thought as he replayed the conversation with the blond-haired man. There was something about that man he simply couldn't shake. The man knew that Tenley's name wasn't Amy; he knew she was in danger with Rittenhouse. There was something that told Flynn that maybe this man was sincere when he tried to tell him that he was trying to protect her. He just didn't know why.

Flynn had to calm himself down. If what that man said was true, he needed to put his faith into that man's ability to protect Tenley from harm. His problem stemmed from the simple fact that he lacked faith these days.

The more Flynn thought over the details of that man, the more he wondered who he was. Why was he protecting Tenley from Rittenhouse - if that's who he was keeping her safe from. The longer he questioned the man's motives, the more questions began to surface.

Knowing that Tenley wasn't on this last mission had caused concern to rise up in Flynn's chest. That familiar sense of panic had returned - that feeling that always ate away at him, driving him to do things he knew he shouldn't - like stealing a time machine and hunting those responsible.

He realized, however, that there was still a small sense of hope lingering in the dark recesses of his mind. She was alive. She had been on missions before and he managed to interact with her - talk to her - and try to convince her to believe him over the lies that Rittenhouse had so clearly brainwashed her with.

He had seen the waves of recognition behind her dark eyes as she stared back at him. He could only hope that she remembered the meaning behind the card he placed into her pocket back in Atlantic City.

Flynn sighed as he slumped into his armchair. He was tired of waiting. He was tired of hoping she'd remember and return to him. He desperately needed to hold her against him again, to smell her comforting scent once more. He needed her.

The days drifted by slowly. Amy couldn't stand the quiet anymore. As she laid in bed, bored out of her mind, she had been noticing the patch of water damage in her bedroom corner increasingly getting larger by the day. She hadn't noticed it until now. Even the whitish paint was peeling and cracking on the walls. She chuckled to herself as she thought over what sailors called 'cabin fever', feeling that she was experiencing her own version of that.

Rolling onto her side, she reached under her pillow, feeling blindly for what she had tucked underneath. When her fingers brushed against the thin paper stock, she pulled the object out to look at it.

Sitting between her fingers was the 'witch' card that had fallen from her shirt when she had returned from Atlantic City. She stared at it, secretly hoping it would spark another memory of hers that had long been buried. She couldn't shake the feeling that something more was at work in regards to her memory. No one was being honest with her - Quinn and Rowan included - when it came to her memory issues. She knew that if she wanted answers, she had to go looking for them on her own.

She stared at the artwork on the card, into the eyes of the witch depicted. She whispered, "Please...give me something…"

A hard knock landed on her door, startling her. She bolted to her feet, slipping the card under her mattress before cracking her door open. Her eyes peered out of the slit of the open door to see Rowan standing there, book in hand, offering a small smile in gesture. She pushed the door open, allowing him to come inside before closing it behind him.

He glanced at the corner of her room. He pointed to the water damage. "How long has that been there?" When she waved the remark, Rowan shook his head, dropping the subject. "I got ye a new book."

"You did?" she asked, eyes wide in surprise. "When? I-I mean, thank you but you didn't have to do that-"

"I know," he told her, a sly smile crossing his face. "I wanted to. Ye've been reading the same novel for weeks now. I thought ye might like to have a new one."

She smiled at him as he handed her the book from his hand. She glanced down at the cover. The sepia-colored cover featured a seated African-America man in an older looking three-piece suit. His greyed hair had been combed back neatly, his black beard feathered out to grey, and was neatly trimmed. His solemn expression was seen through his experienced and worn facial features. He looked like he had lived quite the life. The title of the book was 'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass'. It was written by the man too, telling her it was an autobiography.

She stared at the book for a moment, getting a sense of familiarity - one that she couldn't pinpoint why. Her quiet response had caused Rowan to clear his throat. When her eyes met him, he said, "Ye hate it. I'm sorry-"

"No!" she interjected. "No, that's not it at all!" She gave a nervous laugh before admitting, "I just...Do I read biographies? Did I read this one, because I feel like it's familiar to me."

Rowan smiled a knowing smile. She tilted her head in question at him but he didn't explain. "I think ye're going to like this one."

She opened the cover and heard the alarms in the building ring before it got quiet. She set the book down on the side table to her bed. "I guess I will read that later."

He smiled at her. "Come on, then. Can't keep the Royal Highness waiting."

She laughed, approaching her door. "Which one is that? Emma or my mother?"

Rowan chuckled. "Both, I'd think."

The two left the room, shutting the door behind them as they continued for the main room. Upon entering the large room, they spotted Emma and one other agent waiting. Carol's blue eyes darted over to them.

"Good," she began. "You're here. I need a minute with you, Amy, before you go."

"I'm going?" Amy asked, almost confused.

Carol nodded as Amy approached. "Listen. I need you to pay very close attention because you must remember the details I'm about to tell you."

Amy's brows knitted together as she stared at her mother. "Okay…"

Carol opened a book and passed it over to her. "Try to memorize as much of that as you can."

Amy's confused gaze drifted to the open book in her hands. As her eyes scanned the words, her head tilted in question. "Tuberculosis?"

When her eyes lifted up to meet her mother's, Carol nodded. "You're heading to a place and time that this is considered witchery. I need you to convince them otherwise."

"Why me?"

"You have a good bedside manner," she told her.

Amy smirked. "Me?"

Carol motioned toward the others with her chin, causing Amy to glance over her shoulder at the awaiting members of the party. Carol asked, "Do you see any of them being able to calmly explain this information to someone hysterical?"

Amy turned back to the book. "Good point, well made." Her eyes took in the information quickly. She scanned the book a couple of times until she felt confident that she had enough to retain in her memory. She passed the book back to her mother. "I'll do my best."

Carol nodded. "That's all we can do. Good luck. You'll need it."

Jiya switched the alarms within the bunker off before turning her gaze to the screen before her. Her dark eyes darted about the screen. She glanced over her shoulder, checking to make sure the rest of the bunker had joined her before announcing, "They jumped to Exeter, Rhode Island...March 17, 1892."

Lucy's expression twisted in confusion as she thought it over. There were brief moments of recognition that lit up her face, only to be quickly brushed aside.

Agent Christopher nodded. "Figure it out when you get there. Be on your guard though. It seems your missions lately have been more and more precarious." She shot Wyatt a quick glance before nodding and motioning for them to make their way to the Lifeboat.

The team climbed into the Lifeboat. Jiya and Agent Christopher watched as the hatch closed and the machine whirred to life. Seconds after it disappeared, Mason appeared. He felt the blast of cold air whip around him. He asked, "Off on another adventure, are they?"

Jiya nodded. "Exeter. 1892."

Mason's mouth fell open. "1892?"

Agent Christopher's brows furrowed together as she asked, "Do you know what's happening here?"

"Yes," he began, swallowing his nerves. The look of fear washed over his face as he uttered the word that sent cold chills down the women's spines, "Vampires."


	28. Folktale

1892

The hatch to the Lifeboat opened to reveal the deep woods outside of Exeter. The trees were beginning to bud in early hopes for spring but the lingering winter still gripped the world around. Dark muddied snow still lined the forest floor, muck and mire sucked the once beautiful autumn leaves down, adding to the eeriness of the environment.

Wyatt hopped out of the Lifeboat, feet sinking into the mud. "Ugh," he groaned, lifting a foot carefully out. "This sucks."

Rufus asked as he gently eased himself out, "Literally or-"

"Shut up," Wyatt muttered, turning his eyes about the area to gain his bearings.

Flynn exited next, turning around to help Lucy down. Once she stood on solid ground, they glanced around. "This is going to be a long and miserable hike into town."

Wyatt nodded in agreement as he turned back to Rufus. "You couldn't get us any closer?"

"And have the townsfolk after us with torches and pitchforks?" Rufus quipped.

Wyatt gave him a quick look - the one that suggested he was annoyed by the pilot. "You've landed in more difficult places before."

Seeing Rufus growing a little uncomfortable, Lucy gripped Wyatt's arm for support. "Leave him alone…"

"I'm just saying-"

"So am I," she said in her professor's voice. Wyatt nodded, taking the hint and dropping the matter.

The walk into town proved to be not only a filthy one but lengthy as well. When the team finally managed to find the town, they were caked in mud. They managed to find a small farm on the outskirts of the forest and town to secure clothing. They were genuinely surprised to find it empty.

"Where did everyone go?" Rufus asked, cautiously glancing around the empty farmhouse.

Flynn's eyes took in the inside of the home. The fire still burned in the hearth. The black pot inside contained a stew of some sort, now boiling gently. The plates and silverware were on the table, ready for the meal. He could see that whatever happened, the people just left in a hurry, leaving everything as is.

"Well, whatever happened," Wyatt started, pulling on his newly borrowed wool coat. "They sure left in a hurry." He turned his gaze over to Lucy. "Any ideas on what we're doing here?"

The church bells chimed in the distance. She tilted her head slightly. "Maybe we head to church?"

The team exchanged glances, almost to see if anyone had any other ideas. When no one offered up any, they left the farm and meandered down the muddy road toward the church.

Heavy clouds moved in overhead, creating a blanket of gray in the sky above them. There was a chill in the air that felt like rain or snow would begin to fall at a moment's notice which only amplified their downcast mood.

Rounding the lane toward the once-white church with a painted red door, they spotted a crowd gathered before it. Standing on the platform before the church was a priest with two other men, armed with rifles. They were putting two women into a contraption and both women were shouting and fighting them.

"What are they doing?" Wyatt asked, narrowing his eyes at the scene. "What is that thing?"

Lucy gaped at the device the women were being secured into. The wooden object was fitted with a hinge and lock. There were two larger holes on either end and four smaller holes in the center. The women's heads were secured into the large holes, while their wrists were placed in the smaller ones. Both women were facing each other as they were locked into the device.

"Lucy?" Wyatt asked, breaking her from her concentration.

"Sorry," she stammered. "That's a shrew's fiddle. It-"

Rufus took a step back as he stared at the two bound women. "A what?"

Lucy gritted her teeth. She found it rather annoying at times to be interrupted when she tried to explain things. "A shrew's fiddle. It was a medieval torture device that originated from Germany and Austria. It forced two people to talk to each other and work out their issues if they wanted to be released."

"What happened if they refused to talk to each other?" Wyatt asked, watching as the women were released into the crowd. They struggled to walk together with any ease, both yelling at the other.

Lucy inhaled deeply. "They would be locked in that until they could speak politely to one another."

"That's … " Rufus blew out a heavy sigh. "That's just brutal."

Lucy nodded. "It was...but what's strange is why it's here."

Wyatt turned his attention over to her. "Why is that?"

She turned to face him. "It stopped being used in 1880. We're well passed that stage of torture."

Flynn's eyes had been scanning the gathered crowd before the church. He hoped to see a familiar frame within the sea of people. He didn't see anyone - not even the flaming red hair of Emma. He turned his gaze back to Lucy. "What do you think? Is this another Salem witch hunt?"

Lucy's face contorted as she tried to think of a reason for why they were there. She shook her head. "I-I don't know."

The crowds of people began to disperse. Lucy watched them carefully, hoping to see something or someone that would jog her memory. Everyone that passed by them was dressed in dark drab-colored clothing. Some were coughing into handkerchiefs. Her brows twitched briefly as she realized that diseases were still an issue during these times.

Lucy began to wander on her own. She found herself meandering through the graveyard, slowly taking in the headstones as she walked. She knew the team was following her because she could hear the wet footsteps trailing behind.

Her eyes took in the various names on the headstones as she walked. Some were old and illegible, speckled with moss but the newer ones were crisp. As she walked, Rufus asked, "What's with the bells?"

"What bells?" Wyatt asked. "What are you talking about?"

Lucy glanced over her shoulder to answer but Flynn had turned to them. He answered, "They're graveyard bells. Burying people alive was pretty commonplace - they started installing bells into the coffins to alert the grave keeper that someone living was under the ground."

Rufus and Wyatt blinked at him, mouth hanging open. "How do you know that?" Rufus gasped. He held up a hand and said, "It might be best if I don't know how you know that-"

"I read," Flynn replied with a shrug.

Rufus shuddered at the thought of being buried alive. "I'm gonna say it," he started. "This place is creepy!"

Lucy turned back to the headstones as she continued scanning through them. When she reached one of the newer ones, she halted in her step. She blinked at it as the realization came rushing forward.

"Lucy?" Flynn asked, breaking up the hushed conversation between Rufus and Wyatt. They turned toward her.

She turned to face them, mouth hanging open as she spoke softly, almost afraid that the dead could hear her. "The Mercy Brown Incident."

"Come again?" Rufus asked.

"Mercy Brown," Lucy repeated, pointing to the headstone. "She died earlier this year from consumption." The team gathered around the headstone she stood before. She continued, "This is her mother, Mary Eliza." She pointed again to the next headstone. "Her older sister, Mary Olive...both of them had consumption and died a year before Mercy did-"

"Where's Mercy's headstone?" Wyatt questioned, glancing about the nearby markers. He couldn't spot it.

"She was kept in an above-ground crypt because of the freezing cold winter," Lucy stated. Her voice trailed for a moment as she lost herself in thought.

Flynn studied her for a moment before asking, "Lucy?"

She shook her thoughts to the side. "Sorry...um… Mercy's father and brother had also contracted the disease-"

"Consumption was another name for tuberculosis, right?" Wyatt asked, making sure he understood the gravity of the situation.

She nodded. "Yes and very misunderstood. These people are so paranoid and superstitious that they end up believing that if a family member died from consumption and someone else within the family gets it, it's the dead family member coming back to life as a vampire-"

"Vampire?" Wyatt repeated, an eyebrow raised in question.

Rufus shook his head. "Does anyone have Buffy on speed dial?"

Amy followed behind the group at a safe distance while Emma led them toward town. The late afternoon air was beginning to cool, causing her to pull her wool shawl closer around her shoulders.

Rowan glanced out of the corner of his eye to see Amy shiver. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her gently into his body for warmth as they continued down the lane.

She looked up at him, nose and cheeks red from the cold. She offered a small smile of appreciation to Rowan for the gesture. She felt warmer already.

Emma led the group into the nearby quaint tavern. She didn't stop until they were in the back of the building, in a secluded room out of prying eyes' gaze.

The wooden door closed behind them as Emma turned to face her companions. "We don't have much time." She dropped a heavy duffel onto the ground. Pulling a piece of paper out from within her coat, she unfolded it and laid it out onto the table between them. It was a map of the town. Amy noticed the paper and ink were from their timeline. "We have a short window to get into the crypt-"

"What?" Amy gasped. "Why are we-"

Emma glared at her, green eyes flashing red. "Stop talking."

Amy's eyes widened, hearing the warning in the woman's tone. She lowered her head, almost slinking away from Emma. She knew if she continued pushing Emma, Emma would react harshly.

Emma held Amy in her gaze a moment longer before turning back to the map. "I will head to the cemetery with Paul and Amy. Rowan, you will head to the docks-"

"I think it might be better for Amy to come with me-" Rowan tried to say.

Emma shook her head. "I need her with me if we get stopped in the cemetery." She turned her gaze back to Amy and stated, "This is why you had to memorize those pages before we left."

"For what?" Amy asked, clearly confused.

Emma stood up straight, sighing. "If anyone questions why we are there, messing with the bodies of consumption victims, you can throw the facts at them." She sighed heavily, her frustrations showing plain as daylight. She turned her gaze back to Rowan. "You will head to the docks and wait for Bram." Emma smirked as she turned back to Amy. "Maybe you've read his book? Dracula?"

"Bram Stoker?" Amy asked, stunned.

Emma's smile widened. "Where do you think he got the idea for his book?" She shook her head, clearly amused as she turned back to the group. "Do you understand your roles?" She didn't give anyone a chance to remark before she picked up the map. "Get to it."

Amy shot Rowan a worried look. It was apparent on her face the fear she felt, knowing she would be left alone with Emma - the very woman she had been trying so hard to avoid. The warning bells inside her head were screaming - she didn't want to leave Rowan's side.

"Amy!" Emma's voice shouted from the back door. "Don't keep me waiting!"

Amy's face contorted with fear as she tore her gaze away from Rowan and left with Emma and Paul. Rowan watched her for a moment, hoping she'd be okay while they were separated. If anything happened to her, he knew exactly who to blame.

Rowan forced himself to leave the tavern and make his way to the docks. He knew in the original timeline, Bram Stoker wasn't in this place. He knew history had already been altered. He just hoped it wasn't too late for whatever else was to come.

The evening was approaching. The gray sky had darkened considerably. There was even the faint rumbling in the sky overhead, telling him about the approaching storm.

His eyes drifted across the streets as he continued toward the docks locking onto familiar faces within the crowds. Heading to the old Brown plantation was the team sent by Homeland Security. He noticed Flynn first. He hoped they wouldn't spot him walking the avenue by himself. He picked up his pace, ducking into groups of people to remain hidden.

The Time Team managed to find the Brown plantation with relative ease. Most of the townsfolk they had spoken with had given the directions without question.

As they neared the lonely house at the end of the lane, nestled on the edge of where the fields met the woods. The house itself was rather rundown, showing signs of neglect as the wood siding seemed warped and splintered, the shutters barely hanging onto the rusty nails supporting them to the house. The stone steps leading to the front door were chipped, cracked, and crumbling underfoot.

Wyatt neared the door and knocked on it. He turned back to the team and asked, "Are we sure it's not houses like this that created this story for vampires?"

Coughing and shuffling could be heard on the other side of the door. The door scraped the floor as it was pulled open, creating an unpleasant sound to their ears. Staring back at them was an older man, graying hair with some baldness showing on the top of his head.

He glanced at the team. "Can I help you with something?" He coughed into an old handkerchief briefly as he held his gaze with the team.

Flynn cleared his throat. "We're sorry to bother you, sir. My name is Doctor Kovac." He turned to Lucy and said, "This is Doctor Hunt and our associates-"

The man coughed again. "I don't need any doctor…" he coughed again. "I need protection-"

"From what?" Wyatt asked, taking a small step back.

"From the death, I know is coming." The man clutched his rosary around his neck.

"Well, that's why we're here," Lucy began. "To help you understand what the disease-"

The man chuckled. "It's not any disease you can stop…" When the man realized they weren't following, he stated, "My family is dying from this...and it's only a matter of time before they rise up from the dead and come after me and my son."

"I'm sorry," Rufus began. "Rise up? Like zombies?"

The man's brows furrowed, confused. "What's a zombie?"

"It's…" Rufus paused before saying, "You know what? Not important."

The man shook off the confusion and continued, "They've turned into vampires...and they won't let my family rest until they've taken all of us."

Wyatt blinked at him. "You can't be serious." When he realized the man was serious, he shook his head. "You're joking-"

"If you've come to mock an old sick man," he began, closing the door. "I bid you good day."

"Wait!" Lucy interjected, holding her hand forward to stop him from closing the door. "How do you know they are vampires?"

"We don't yet," he admitted. "But we are planning on digging them up tonight to make sure that they are gone, once and for all...maybe even find a way to heal my son before he dies."

The team exchanged worried glances as the words sunk into their brains. The town was planning on exhuming the bodies of this poor man to see whether or not any of them were 'vampires'.

Wyatt asked, "How does one determine if someone is a vampire?"

The man explained the process. "We dig them up and see if they've progressed the same as any normal soul left to rot in the ground would." His expression darkened as he added, "If they look the same as the day they were buried, then we know they are vampires coming out of their coffins to feast off their families."

Wyatt wanted to tell him how crazy he sounded. The look on his face said it all as he turned to look at the rest of the team. He shook his head, almost at a loss for words. He simply couldn't process this level of superstition.

Lucy asked, "What time does this take place tonight?"

"Six this evening," the man replied. He coughed once more. "I suppose I'll see you lot there in the cemetery. Good day." He closed his door with some struggle.

The team began to leave the man's house, walking closely together to discuss what they should do moving forward.

Wyatt asked, "So, what? We go and watch them dig up dead bodies to prove some crazy theory?"

Lucy nodded. "Unfortunately, that's exactly what happens. They dig up his wife and eldest daughter, only to discover they had begun to decompose-"

"What about the other?" Wyatt asked. "Didn't you say she was kept in a crypt?"

She nodded again. "That's where they find their 'vampire'."

"Meaning?" Rufus asked.

"Because she was kept above ground due to the freezing temperatures, her body was well preserved and still had blood in the organs...so…"

"So they believe that she's a vampire?" Rufus said, connecting the dots. "These people are crazy!"

Lucy gave him a half-shrug. She knew how crazy these people were but she hoped they could find a way to tell them the truth somehow. She hated the story of what became of Mercy. She hoped to stop them from making a terrible mistake.

"Lucy?" Flynn spoke, breaking her thoughts. When she lifted her eyes to meet his, he asked, "What do you want to do?"

She sighed. "I guess we wait until six…"


	29. Overkill

The evening grew dark and cold. The storm had rolled in, rain began to fall onto the already wet ground. The wind had picked up, blowing a cold snap through those caught outside.

Rowan stood on the docks, hands shoved into his wool coat pockets as he watched the small ferry approaching the harbor. He was beginning to grow anxious as the boat slowed down to keep from striking the wood docks.

As the boat stopped, the crew hopped out, securing the boat to the docks, bringing the gangplank out for the passengers to use to exit the boat. Rowan waited patiently as he watched the people disembark from the small ferry.

A smartly dressed gentleman stepped onto the dock, fixing his bowler hat as he turned to see Rowan waiting. He approached him, hand outstretched to shake his hand. "Rowan, I presume?"

Rowan smiled. "Mr. Stoker. It's nice to meet ye."

Stoker blinked at Rowan's accent. "They didn't tell me I'd be meeting with a Scot."

"Hope that's not a problem?"

Bram shook his head. "I was born in Ireland. I guess I'll consider you my neighbor."

Rowan forced a smile. He wasn't sure what to make of the man's remark. He motioned down the dock toward the town. "Shall we?"

The two began their way down the lane. Stoker asked, "Do you happen to know why Miss Whitmore summoned me?"

"No, I'm afraid I do not," Rowan admitted. His eyes darted about the lane, hoping not to run into the Time Team.

"Where is Miss Whitmore anyhow?"

"At the cemetery," Rowan replied. "She's waiting for us there."

Stoker nodded before he turned his gaze back to Rowan. He whispered, "I have news from Reynolds."

Rowan stopped in his tracks. A hard lump formed in his throat as he blinked at Stoker in surprise. "What did ye say?" He thought perhaps he had heard the author wrong. The shock was apparent on his face as he froze in the middle of the lane.

Stoker smiled slightly as he repeated himself, "Reynolds has news for you."

"That's what I thought ye said…"

Stoker glanced up at the dark sky as the rain started to fall harder onto the two. "Perhaps we should move our conversation indoors?" Rowan nodded and Stoker added, "You seem like you could use a drink, my friend."

Inwardly, Rowan agreed. He knew better than to drink while on a mission. He wanted to keep all of his senses sharp but after this revelation, he contemplated having a drink anyway to process this information that just fell into his lap.

Rowan led the author down the lane toward the small tavern with his mind racing with questions.

Amy trudged through the muck and mire behind Emma and Paul as they entered the graveyard. The wind had picked up, whipping her dress around her body. The rain pattered all around them, soaking her clothes and causing her hair to stick to her face. She decided it was better to have wet hair stuck to her face than to have it blowing into her face.

The three stopped at the back of the cemetery, semi-hidden from the main road that led by the church and connecting graveyard. Paul lowered the shovel from his shoulder. He started digging in the freshly wet ground.

Emma glanced about the area, scanning for any approaching townsfolk. Her eyes landed on Amy. "Keep an eye out. Let me know if you see anyone."

Amy nodded, thankful to get some space away from the woman. She turned her back to them, peering out toward the town. She watched as the people scurried into the buildings as quickly as possible to get out of the storm.

Lightning lit up the darkening sky. The rain came down in sheets and the wind blew so hard, any other sound outside of its howling was drowned out.

Amy glanced over her shoulder to see that Paul had made a lot of progress. She turned her gaze back to the street. She began to wonder where Rowan was. Fear was creeping up her chest as she worried that perhaps Emma set him up. The thought caused a pit to form in her stomach.

As her eyes scanned the people going to and fro on the street, she thought she saw the familiar frame of Flynn within the crowds. Her mouth fell open as she blinked and lost sight of him.

Her eyes darted about as she took a timid step forward. Her heart was racing as she tried to find him once more. She hoped that wherever he was, he wouldn't come into the cemetery. She worried that Emma and Paul would kill him if he did.

Amy glanced up at the brightly lit sky as another flash of lightning illuminated the evening. The thunder cracked overhead, causing her bones to rattle. Then she felt the searing pain in the back of her head as something struck her before the darkness overtook her senses.

Rowan sat across from Bram Stoker at the small table within the busy pub. His eyes continued to scan the area, worried the Time Team would walk in at any given moment.

Bram couldn't help but chuckle at the man's antics. "Relax," he said reassuringly. "Reynolds said they wouldn't come here at this hour." He checked his watch to be sure. "We have time, my friend."

"Ye know Reynolds?" Rowan asked, eyeing the portly author across the table from him.

Bram smiled. "I'm a Bloodstone man." When he saw the confusion and shock begin to wash over Rowan's face, he added, "I guess you didn't know...well...now you do."

"Does Emma know?"

The author laughed. "Do you honestly think she'd 'summon' me if she knew?" He shook his head. "No. She has no idea. She believes me to be Rittenhouse," he said. His voice darkened as he added, "And it stays that way."

Rowan's eyes darted back to Bram. He studied the man carefully. He braved his next remark. "Ye said Reynolds had a message for me…"

Another chuckle came from the man. "You waste no time. All business…" Bram took a chug from his pint, setting it down on the tabletop as he leaned forward. "Reynolds warns you that the time is coming...soon."

Rowan's brows twitched. "Time for what?"

"Bloodstone is almost ready in your timeline," Bram explained. "It won't be much longer and you need to be prepared-"

"But for what?" Rowan questioned. "Did he say what my role in all of this is to be?"

The man took another swig. "Keep doing what you're doing," Bram stated. "It will all make sense to you in good time."

Rowan's head tilted to the side slightly as he leaned forward. "And how do I know ye're telling the truth?"

Bram scratched his chin before saying, "Perhaps I can offer you up something as a show of good faith?"

Rowan's eyes narrowed at him. "What would that be?"

"When all is lost," Bram started. "Look at the bells."

Rowan gritted his teeth at the riddle. He hated riddles. He opened his mouth to speak up when Bram stated, "Come. We shouldn't keep Emma waiting any longer."

Despite being confused and wanting answers, Rowan knew the man was right. If they continued to procrastinate in meeting with Emma, she would grow suspicious. On top of that, he knew that Emma would most likely take her frustrations out on Amy and he couldn't allow that to happen either.

As he led Bram down the lane toward the church and cemetery, his mind continued to think over the riddle. Bells. What did bells have to do with anything? He wasn't sure but it would haunt his mind for a while.

Continuing down the lane, he spotted the crowds growing, even in the current weather. His eyes darted about the gathering people and noticed they too were heading for the cemetery.

Bram asked, "What's going on?"

Rowan shook his head. "A vampire hunt…"

Bram smiled. "Sounds like a perfect setting for a novel…"

Rowan ignored the obvious punch line of the situation. His eyes scanned through the people. The moment his eyes landed on the Time Team, he reached out and stopped Bram.

Bram glanced at Rowan before following his gaze across the street to where the four members stood, gazing over the crowds entering the cemetery. He laid his hand on Rowan's shoulder. "Allow me to take care of our friends."

"But-"

Bram winked at him. "Trust me...it will be fine. Just remember what I told you." With that said, Bram left Rowan alone on the sidewalk as he intentionally approached the team.

Knowing Bram was giving him time to duck and dodge, Rowan didn't hesitate. He joined a large group of people and entered the cemetery, searching for his party.

The Time Team stood on the curb, looking across the street at the growing spectacle. "What are they hoping to accomplish here?" Wyatt asked, taking in all of the people.

"If Mr. Brown's family are indeed vampires," Lucy started. "Then wouldn't you want to know?"

"This is disturbing," Wyatt muttered. "They're going on a witch hunt-"

Rufus glared at Wyatt. "Please, don't remind me of Salem...I still have nightmares-"

"It's not so different from Salem, actually," Lucy said. "The idea of vampires was a rampant superstition for years until-"

Lucy felt someone bump into her hard, knocking her off balance. Her hands reached out for anyone to stabilize her. When she felt large hands grabbing her, catching her from falling, she lifted her gaze to meet those of a man she had only seen in pictures. Her voice was barely a whisper as she said, "Mr. Stoker-"

He smiled at her. "I apologize, Miss…"

"Lucy," she replied, blinking at him in surprise. She couldn't believe he stood before her. She knew his presence here was a change to history as she knew it.

"Miss Lucy," Bram repeated. "I apologize for my bump. I was not paying attention to where I was heading-"

Wyatt stepped beside her. "Do you know what's going on?"

Bram glanced over to the gathering crowds. "I am under the impression that a vampire is about to be unearthed tonight." He turned back to Wyatt and smiled. "I hope this is true...I'm writing a novel about this very thing!"

Wyatt turned to look at Rufus, rolling his blue eyes. Rufus's face contorted in confusion as he stared at the author. He couldn't believe the man was standing there.

Flynn asked, "How did you hear about such an endeavor from where you were?"

Bram didn't blink. "Newspaper articles and stories from those who mailed correspondence to me," he informed him. "They believed I'd be interested in the process - and right they were! I very much am!"

"Must have been some stories if you came all this way," Flynn challenged him. Lucy glanced up and realized he knew Stoker wasn't supposed to be here in the real timeline.

Stoker didn't appear to be offended by Flynn's words. He simply nodded. "There were a couple of very adamant ones from a young woman named…" he paused for a moment to think. "Miss Whitmore." The team exchanged glances as the author smiled at them. "Now then...shall we head inside?" He motioned across the street to the cemetery and awaiting crowds.

The team slowly followed the man into the graveyard. Lucy mumbled, "Does Emma mean to kill him? Why else would she bring him here?"

"What purpose would killing him serve?" Flynn questioned.

Rufus chimed in. "Do you think he's a sleeper?"

Lucy practically halted in her step to blink at Rufus. The thought had never occurred to her. Wyatt placed his hand on the low of her back, encouraging her to keep moving. She forced herself to move forward with the team.

The crowds had surrounded the raised crypt where Mr. Brown had buried Mercy. He held onto his only son tightly as they watched the groundskeeper begin exhuming the bodies. The man seemed conflicted, afraid, and overall miserable. The son had shown signs of having the very same illness that started this whole ordeal.

Flynn's eyes darted across the sea of people. His eyes noticed a man very similar to the blond that Tenley was with - Rowan. He was speaking to Emma and from what Flynn could see, Rowan was angry and afraid.

Flynn's heart stopped as he wondered if it had anything to do with Tenley. He didn't see her in the crowds. When Rowan disappeared, leaving Emma and one other Rittenhouse agent behind, he wanted to follow. He never got the opportunity when Bram spoke to him.

"I wonder what they'll find in there," Stoker stated, looking up to Flynn. "What do you think? A normal decomposed body of an innocent girl or a vampire child seeking to fill her belly with the hot blood of her family?"

Flynn narrowed his eyes, furrowing his brow as he glared at the author. He opened his mouth to retort when the storm erupted overhead. The rain dumped onto the people below. Some had decided it wasn't worth seeing the truth and fled for home; others decided to wait out the storm.

The groundskeeper and his men began exhuming the wife and eldest daughter of Mr. Brown. The wet ground made the ordeal easy yet filthy. People remained at a distance to avoid getting dirtier than usual.

After a while, the men hopped into the graves and opened the coffins. Both bodies had decomposed. The doctor shouted, "These women were victims themselves! They have decomposed as a body should once in the ground!" He turned his gaze back to the men inside the grave. "Fill them back up. Let's return them to peace!"

With this revelation, several people left for home. Flynn's eyes darted back to where he had spotted Emma. She was no longer there but the agent that was with her remained.

The groundskeeper opened the next crypt and shouted as loudly as he could over the storm, "Be on your guard! There is no telling what we may find here!"

Two of his helpers opened the crypt. They pulled out the coffin, tossing the lid open. Those in the front of the gathered crowds screamed in terror, crying pained sobs as they stared at the corpse before them.

Lucy didn't have to see the body to know the outcome. It was coming back to her. She cringed as the groundskeeper shouted, "She's a vampire! Blood still flows within her heart!" The people in the back gasped, some fleeing the cemetery completely after the news. The cemetery was starting to empty quickly but still, quite a few remained to see how to deal with vampires.

The medical doctor of the town shouted, "We have to deal with this before she wakes and feasts on her family!" He turned to Mr. Brown and his son. "If you want your boy, Edwin, to survive, we have to do this."

Mr. Brown glanced down at his son. He wrapped his arms tighter around the boy's shoulders, nodding for them to proceed.

The team had caught a glimpse of the body - she was perfectly preserved, just as Lucy had said. It was evident to them that she remained in such a state simply because she was kept in a freezer-like burial chamber. She never had a chance to decompose and it didn't help matters that she died in the winter, unable to be buried in the ground.

The doctor raised his hands for silence as he shouted, "Please! We mustn't wake her! We have to do this quickly!"

Rufus shook his head, eyes wide. "They're crazy. Everybody in this whole place is crazy!"

Wyatt shot him a glance, telling him to stay quiet. The last thing he wanted to try to do was rescue the team from an angry mob - one that was convinced vampires were running amok.

The doctor shouted over the storm again. "We must harvest her heart and liver! We need to burn it and place the ashes into our tonic for the boy to drink!"

"What the-" Rufus began to say. Wyatt smacked him, shooting him another 'stay quiet' look.

"Are you serious?" Rufus muttered. "Shouldn't we stop this?"

Lucy shook her head no but she wanted to. She knew what they were going to do wasn't going to work. She wanted to tell them all of the facts about the disease and why poor Mercy didn't decompose. She turned away, unable to keep looking at the live display of harvesting and defiling Mercy's body.

Cheers erupted in the cemetery once the doctor extracted the organs. They watched as they burned both heart and liver in a pot. As they burned, the doctor began mixing up his tonic. The flames in the pot died down, leaving behind charred remnants of ash. The doctor poured the ashes into his mixture, swirling and shaking it until it was mixed. He held it out to the boy.

"Drink this and you shall be cured!"

Rufus turned to Lucy. "Is that true?"

She shook her head. "Edwin died a few days after this…"

The townsfolk that remained cheered as the doctor showed them the bottle before holding it out to the boy again. Mr. Brown looked as though he had a change of heart. All the color from his face - what little he had to begin with - had faded. His son, Edwin, seemed confused by what was happening. With shaky hands, he reached out for the tonic the doctor had prepared.

Rufus spoke under his breath. "We need to stop this!"

"Will you stop talking?" Wyatt retorted. "Do you want us to get caught?"

"We can't just watch them do this!" Rufus countered.

Flynn gritted his teeth. "You are attracting attention!"

Flynn's warning went unheard. Wyatt and Rufus continued their feud, believing it to be quieter than it was. It didn't take long before the lawmen of the town appeared before them.

"Excuse me," the taller of the two said. "We'll have to ask both of you to come with us."

"What?" Wyatt asked. "Why?"

"You and your friend are being disruptive," the short man explained. "And we had complaints already that you two have been fighting since you arrived."

The team stared at the man, unsure what he was talking about. The taller one said, "If you wouldn't mind coming with us so we can deal with this matter quietly, the better."

"Or what?" Wyatt asked. "We had a simple disagreement-"

"We would hate to have to make a spectacle before the mourning father and son," the man told him. It was then that the team noticed the shorter man was holding the shrew's fiddle in his hands. "Please, think of the family...Come with us."

Flynn's gaze drifted over to where the Rittenhouse agent had been standing. He was no longer there. He gritted his teeth, knowing exactly who had complained. He turned his eyes back to the lawmen as they led Rufus and Wyatt away, preparing to place them into the fiddle.

Lucy glanced over to Flynn. Worry washed over her expression. For the first time in a while, Flynn saw pure fear strike her. It was clear to him how overwhelmed she was at the moment. He knew it was on his shoulders to set things right. Unfortunately, that meant he had to put his mission to find Tenley onto the back burner for a while.


	30. The Fateful Hour

Amy's head throbbed painfully as she groaned. Slowly blinking her eyes open, she felt her heart race as she saw complete darkness surrounding her. She swallowed nervously. The smell was musty, old, and earthy. She quietly called out, "Emma?"

The sound felt muffled to her. Confusion struck her mind as she reached out only to feel coarse wood a couple of inches away from her. She slid her hands down the length of it. Her heart stopped and her stomach fell as the reality came crashing down upon her. "Emma!" she screamed.

Panic rose in her chest, bile churning in her stomach. "Rowan! Rowan! Help me!" Amy could feel the hot tears streaming down her face. It didn't take her long to realize that Emma had buried her alive. Her mind raced to think of a reason as to why Emma would do such a thing. She did everything she was asked by the woman.

Memories of the graveyard came rushing forward. She recalled the bells tied to the gravestones with the small hempen rope that led into the coffins - the sign that being buried alive was almost commonplace in this era.

Amy fumbled around the dark, feeling for the rope. Her fingers grazed along the side of the rope and she grasped it. She released a short happy laugh, feeling hopeful that she was about to be found. She tugged on the rope to hear the bell scrape along the inside of the coffin.

"No...no-no-no," she muttered, the panic rising again. She pulled the rope again, hearing the bell next to her head. "No!" she cried.

Emma had removed the bell from the grave she was buried in to make sure no one found her. Amy couldn't stop the tears from falling as she sobbed. She didn't expect to die like this. In someone else's grave.

After a moment, Amy forced herself to stop crying. She took a couple of deep breaths of the stale air. "Okay…" she sighed. "Okay… think...It's going to be okay..."

She closed her eyes to steady her nerves. "No one is coming to save you...You've got to do this yourself." She opened her eyes after releasing a short exhale. "Okay...think…" She grabbed the bell with her hand, gripping it tightly.

Her breathing picked up as she worked herself up for what she had to do. She slammed the bell into the wooden lid of the coffin she was trapped inside. She continued to slam it, hoping to break through. The sound of the bell slamming into the wood clanked loudly. She could hear the wood splintering slightly. She had no idea if what she was doing was making any difference.

With her arm growing tired, she dropped the bell and reached out to feel the lid. She could feel the dents left behind by the bell. She couldn't feel any breaks or holes that came from her efforts. She could feel the tears rushing back, falling out the corners of her eyes.

Another memory came rushing back to her. She was standing in the woods during a storm. She saw a shadow of a man approaching her before searing pain engulfed her lower abdomen. She saw the gun and the blood seeping from the wound. She reached down and felt the place that her memory said she had been shot. She sobbed quietly, realizing she was going to die.

Rowan scoured the town while the townsfolk were busy watching the sad excuse to defile an innocent girl's remains. He checked all the places he could think Amy might have gone. He came up empty-handed.

He sighed, running a hand across his cheek, showing his frustrations. His eyes darted down the avenue of the town, praying some sort of sign would come to him. When his eyes landed on the Time Team being escorted away from the cemetery by the lawmen, he realized the only place he didn't cover within his search had been the very place Amy was last seen in.

He rushed toward the church, careful to avoid any lingering glances back from the Time Team as he snuck back in. He ignored the display that still went on with the Brown family and doctor. He spotted Paul still watching with some sick curiosity. He didn't see Emma.

He followed the path that led to the church. He wondered if he'd find Amy and Emma there. His heart raced as he thought about what Emma might have done to her.

As Rowan followed the trail, his eyes caught a shimmer off to the side. He glanced over to see lightning reflecting off of a grave bell. He slid to a stop, staring at it. The warning Bram Stoker had given him came rushing back. 'When all is lost, look at the bells.'

Rowan whispered to himself, "The bells…" His eyes darted across the front row of gravestones. Each one had a small bell affixed to it with a hempen cord leading into the ground.

Picking up his pace, he rushed down the cemetery paths, scanning each one. So far, each site had a bell. As the storm raged on, he found himself practically running. He felt like time was running out. He refused to return to his time without Amy. He had to find her or die trying - even if that meant staying back at this time.

Rowan stopped, glancing around the cemetery. He felt frustrated as he realized he had checked every row and each had a bell. He wondered if he had missed one somehow. He gritted his teeth, preparing himself to retrace his steps when his gaze lifted to an area far away from the rows he had been.

Tucked in the corner of the lot, he noticed a couple of older gravestones beneath a large and somewhat scary oak tree, leaning slightly askew. He had missed them completely the first time he had run through. He rushed over, believing Amy to be there somewhere.

The rain dumped onto the earth, creating deep puddles as Rowan ran over to the oak tree. Lightning lit the way as he neared the far lot. When he stopped, he glanced at the few that were there. All of them had a bell - sans one. His eyes looked down at the ground, finding it recently disturbed.

Rowan wasted no time to look for a shovel. He spotted one carelessly tossed to the side. He grabbed it, setting to the task of digging as quickly as he could. The rain made it easier for the shovel to plunge into the ground but it made the mud heavier to remove.

Rowan ignored the pain and aches within his body as he worked fast. He could feel the sharp stinging pain in his hands from blisters as he dug madly into the mud. He knew time was of the essence and he had no way of telling how long Amy had been there - if she was there.

His mind raced with thoughts of what he might see when he opened the coffin under the earth. Was she still alive? Had Emma murdered her first? Was she even under there or was this a distraction? He thought over the warning Bram Stoker gave to him. Remembering that conversation had only brought more questions to the surface - like why Bram knew Reynolds and why would Reynolds send a message to him through that man? All of these thoughts fueled Rowan's determination as he dug.

The shovel struck wood and he slumped to his knees. "Amy!?" he called out. "Amy! Are ye in there?!"

Despite the wind and sounds of the storm overtaking his senses, he heard the faint call of his name through the wood and mud, "Rowan!"

"Don't move!" he shouted. "Cover yer face!"

He stood back up and used the shovel to shatter the wood lid to the coffin. The wood splinters caught themselves in the mud as he destroyed it. When he was certain he could break the lid with his hands, he tossed the shovel to the side. He bent down, pulling at the planks of broken wood. "Amy!"

"Rowan!" she cried. Her hand darted out of the opening, reaching for him.

He grabbed her hand with one of his, squeezing tightly to reassure her. "I've got ye! Hang on!"

He continued pulling the lid apart until there was a big enough hole for her to squeeze out of. He helped her out and once she broke free, he embraced her tightly, cradling her in his arms.

He could feel her sobbing into his chest as she clung to him. She was shaking as the sobs wracked through her. He shushed her, trying to calm her. "I've got ye," he cooed. "I've got ye...ye're all right now…"

She pulled away, staring into his eyes. "How'd you find me?"

"I had a little help," he told her. "I'll explain later. Let's get out of here."

Rowan lifted Amy out of the grave, pushing her out before climbing out himself. As he knelt up beside her after clawing his way out, he noticed her rigid posture. His eyes flew over to see Paul standing before them, a gun raised directly at them.

Rowan slowly stood up. "Paul? What are ye doing?"

"She had a feeling you might go looking for her," Paul said. "She gave me strict orders to make sure that she didn't come back with us."

"Why is that?" Rowan asked, standing at his full height. With one hand, he motioned for Amy to stay where she was and not move. His eyes never left Paul.

Paul smirked. "You know why. I'm not going to spell it out for you."

"What would Carol say?" Rowan asked, taking a step toward Paul. "What would ye have told Carol if we showed up and Amy wasn't with us?"

"That the others got her," Paul replied with a shrug. "She wanted me to kill you too but I convinced her not to."

"Very kind of ye," Rowan said, taking another step. "I appreciate ye looking out for me."

"It has less to do with you and more to do with Quinn," Paul replied.

Rowan's brows twitched. "What about Quinn?"

"I made a promise to look after you on this mission," he stated. "But after all of this trouble, I think maybe Emma was right. Both of you are too much trouble for what you're worth."

Rowan had inched his way closer to Paul as the man spoke. He was within grabbing distance of the man. "So what? Ye gonna shoot the both of us and bury us in the grave here?"

Paul's lips curved upward into a sadistic grin. "Sounds about right."

Rowan watched Paul steady his hand, gun aimed at Amy. Within a blink of an eye, Rowan reached out, snatching hold of the gun, twisting it from the man's hold. The gun went off, causing Amy to flinch down, hands coming up to her head.

Rowan twisted the gun from Paul's grip, turning it quickly onto the man and firing the weapon. Paul's eyes widened as the bullets tore through his chest. Paul slumped into the mud, falling face-first onto the ground.

Rowan glanced over his shoulder to see Amy. Her eyes lifted to meet his. She nodded, letting him know that she was okay. He gave her a curt nod, turning back to Paul's body. He dragged the man through the mud toward the edge of the grave.

Amy stood up, backing away from the open grave. She watched as Rowan kicked the body into the grave and kicked the mud over. He didn't bother filling the grave in. He turned his gaze back to her.

Amy's mouth was agape as she blinked at him. Her eyes scanned the length of him, and with the help of the lightning illuminating the darkness, she could see the gunshot wound on his side. She stared at him before forcing herself onto her shaky legs, stumbling toward him. When she reached him, she kept her eyes on his side. "You're hurt."

"I'll be fine," he told her, voice gravelly as he inhaled deeply at her touch. He studied her as she seemed to be hard at work, checking the wound.

"I should get this patched up," she replied, almost second-naturedly.

Rowan whispered, "Ye can do it on the Mothership but we have to go. Now." He wrapped his hand around her wrist and tugged her through the storm back to where the Mothership would hopefully be waiting. He was happy Amy was okay but he was angry with Emma - and that anger allowed him to ignore the searing pain in his side.

He could forgive a lot of Emma's choices but this had crossed a line. At this point in time, from here on out, Emma had made a very dangerous enemy.

"This is stupid," Wyatt complained as the lawmen locked him into the shrew's fiddle with Rufus.

"Stop talking," the man replied as he worked on getting Rufus locked into the opposite end. "The two of you were disrupting an important event and complaints came to us. This is your punishment."

The lawmen locked up the fiddle with both Wyatt and Rufus inside. "When you've served your time, we will let you go." They took the key to the lock with them as they left.

Rufus turned his gaze to Wyatt. "So, do you want to go first?"

Wyatt furrowed his brow as he stared at Rufus. His expression told everyone just how unamused he was by the situation

Rufus tried to suppress his smile as he said, "We're supposed to share our feelings...I don't know about you but I have a lot of pent up frustrations to work out."

"Stop. Talking." Wyatt turned his attention to Lucy, eyes pleading for her to help him. He rolled his eyes as he saw the amusement behind her eyes. He looked over to Flynn, knowing if anyone wasn't interested in this game, it would be him. Wyatt was disappointed to see that even Flynn was smiling slightly. "Fine, laugh it up. We're wasting time!"

Flynn cleared his throat. "He's right about that. We need to get out of here." He turned his attention to Lucy. "Are you absolutely sure that Rittenhouse is here for Bram?"

She shrugged. "I mean, he said it himself. Emma wrote to him to bring him here...so...it makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Let's start there. Get us out of this thing," Wyatt ordered. "The sooner we find Bram, the sooner we can get out of here."

Lucy pulled a hairpin from her dark locks, passing it over to Flynn. Flynn bent it slightly, setting to work on the lock. It didn't take him long to get it opened.

"I think I'd like to talk about my feelings," Rufus repeated, a slight pout on his face. Wyatt turned his annoyed gaze back at the man. Rufus smiled wide, showing how much he was enjoying the man's discomfort.

"Let's go," Wyatt said, once they were freed from the fiddle. "We've wasted too much time."

"We should head out the back," Flynn suggested. "I'm sure our guards are lingering out the front."

Wyatt nodded, turning on his heel to slip out the back door. The rest of the team followed close behind.

The team darted down the back streets until they found the tavern. Flynn pointed across the lane. "His breath had alcohol on it when we were at the cemetery. My guess is he's gone back there."

"And what if you're wrong?" Wyatt challenged. "What if he's not there and Emma's got him?"

Flynn closed his eyes. He wanted to remind Wyatt that they weren't the only ones wasting time. He felt he had wasted any chance of seeing if Tenley was a part of this mission and to try and reach her again. He hadn't been able to follow through with his goals but he wasn't crying about it like a petulant child. He gritted his teeth, trying to find the right words to say just that.

"I assure you," a voice spoke behind them, causing them all to turn around. "That Miss Whitmore doesn't have a clue as to where I am."

The team stared back at Bram Stoker. He smiled at them, one eyebrow slightly raised as he looked back. He was amused and it showed.

"But you said-" Lucy started.

The author waved her confusion aside. "She was not the reason that I came but the convenient excuse to use for you to believe me."

"I thought you said that she wrote to you," Wyatt recalled.

"You must be Wyatt," Bram stated, smirking slightly. He shook his head as he said, "She did write to me but I am not here because she 'summoned' me."

Flynn's eyes narrowed at the man. He realized something more was at work here and he feared for what the true intent behind the man's appearance in this place was.

"So, if you're not here because of Emma…" Wyatt tried to piece together what he was saying.

"I am here because I was ordered to," Bram admitted. "Because someone important to all of us was in danger."

The team exchanged worried glances. "Who would that be?"

Without pausing, Bram stated, "Dr. Levinson."

Flynn's heart stopped as his mouth fell open. Lucy gasped slightly. Wyatt and Rufus blinked, unable to form words at the man's admittance.

Flynn swallowed, forcing himself to take control of the situation. "What did you say?"

Bram cleared his throat. "Had I not shown up today, you would have returned home to discover that while everyone was busy watching the preposterous claim that the young Mercy Brown was a vampire," he paused, glancing at his pocket watch. "That Dr. Levinson was killed."

"Killed?" Lucy repeated. Tears were forming behind her brown eyes. She reached out for Wyatt, who grabbed her hand, holding her close to him in comfort.

Bram nodded. "Buried alive by a member of Rittenhouse."

Flynn's face darkened as the anger coursed through him. "Rowan?"

Bram scoffed. "Rowan?" he laughed. "Whatever gave you that idea?" Flynn opened his mouth to try and reply but the author commented, "Rowan is an ally - a powerful one to have on your side. He's the one I came to speak with...to tell him where to find her."

"Where is she?" Flynn asked, voice growing dark.

Bram didn't seem bothered. "She's safe-"

"Where is she?!" Flynn shouted, grabbing the author by the collar. Wyatt reached out to stop Flynn.

Bram smiled at him. "Don't worry, my friend," he said quietly. His voice was so low, only Flynn could hear him. "In good and perfect time, she will return to you...but we need her first."

"For what?" Flynn asked, grip tightening on the collar. "Who are you?"

"I think you know exactly who we are," Bram said. "She's essential to winning this war against Rittenhouse."

Flynn studied the man's eyes. He could see the sincerity behind the man's claims. "When-"

"Soon." Bram pushed Flynn slightly away from him and straightened out his coat. "Now then," he said. "I believe you are running out of time-"

"For what?" Wyatt asked, glancing at the others.

Bram cleared his throat. "To get back home. There's nothing left for you to do here. Rittenhouse has already gotten what they needed here and has left by now." He tipped his hat and added, "And that means my time is over here. I bid you good luck."

The team watched as the man meandered down the lane toward the docks. They kept their eyes locked on his silhouette as he continued on his way. Rufus asked, "Who the hell was he?"

Flynn never blinked as he stared after the author. He said, "He's a Bloodstone agent."


	31. Eye To Eye

Present Day

The moment the Lifeboat returned to the bunker, the hatch opened and the crew quickly descended from the steps. Lucy rushed by to grab Tenley's laptop. She hoped the firewalls would allow her access to the sites she wanted to look at.

Agent Christopher watched as the historian blew by. Confusion and concern were written on her face. "What's going on?" she asked. She turned to face the others, brow furrowed. "What happened?"

"Well," Rufus began, drawing out the word. "We met Bram Stoker, who apparently is a Bloodstone agent working undercover. Tenley was in danger which is why the man was even there and," he paused, holding his pointer finger up as he added, "Can I just say that people are crazy!?"

Agent Christopher blinked at him, turning to the other two men standing before her. "Can someone explain to me what all of that means?"

While the others worked on explaining what they could to Agent Christopher, Lucy found herself in the infirmary, pulling the computer out of the cabinet. She opened the lid, powering it on.

She drummed her fingers on the table impatiently as the computer booted. When she saw the login screen, she quickly typed in the necessary information and watched as all of the icons appeared on the screen.

It took Lucy no time at all to open up the browser and look up the 'Mercy Brown Incident'. She skimmed the articles as she read. Everything was the same as before. Edwin died two months later, despite the so-called tonic made from his sister's burned organs.

The town still went through impending terror and continued their ridiculous displays of superstitious hysteria. They still firmly believed that the dead were coming back from the dead as vampires, hoping to drink from their family's blood. There at the bottom of the article, was a small section that talked about how a body was discovered on a recently exhumed grave and the occupant of the coffin was missing. It was said that the body in the coffin had broken through the lid and clawed its way out, killing the unfortunate passerby before disappearing into the woods surrounding the town.

She saw that vampire hunts remained in effect within the town's limits for another forty years. She closed the browser and shook her head. Lucy was about to shut the computer down before she realized she also wanted to look up Bram Stoker.

From what she could see, Bram had gone back to London and wrote all of his books. He stayed true to history - married, had a child, and died after suffering numerous strokes.

Lucy leaned back in her chair, blinking at the screen. She never would have pegged him to be a Bloodstone agent, as Flynn said he was - even now as history remained virtually the same. As she shut the computer down, she realized that it wasn't so far fetched to believe after all. Bloodstone had continually taken people from their timelines and dropped them into different ones. She questioned Bloodstone's motives. She tried to understand the reasoning behind their actions. So far, she was drawing a blank.

The rest of the team had left the main living area once they finished detailing the mission to Agent Christopher. Flynn had found himself in his room, pacing as he thought over the details of Bram's comments.

There was something about the way the man behaved around them. He acted with a sense of familiarity with the team. Flynn closed his eyes, pinching the bridge to his nose as he tried to recall the man's features in hopes of remembering him from some other mission. He sighed, dropping his hand from his face when nothing came to mind.

Bram spoke of Tenley in a fond way. Flynn could see it behind the man's eyes - there was something about Tenley that the author eluded to - something vital to the Bloodstone agenda. The fear and panic that sat in the pit of his stomach churned. He wouldn't - couldn't - rest until he had her safely home. Whatever they wanted with her, he knew it couldn't be good. They had yet to show any inkling of goodness in their actions yet- until this last mission.

Flynn took a deep breath before reminding himself that no matter what happened, he had to bring Tenley to safety - even if it meant death himself.

He glanced over to the small ornate silver frame sitting on his shelf. He stared at the two figures in the photo that smiled back at him. "I won't fail again," he whispered to them. "I can't...and I won't."

Amy stood before the mirror in the small whitewashed bathroom, taking in her appearance. Her hair was caked in mud, stuck to her face and neck, knotted beyond reproach. Dried mud marred most of her exposed skin, and from the irritation in her clothing, Amy knew mud had gotten under her clothing as well. The stench that emanated from her body was enough to make her want to vomit - it didn't help that she had been buried alive inside a used coffin either.

Images of Paul standing before her with his gun aimed at her popped back into view. She didn't even know how to react. Had it not been for Rowan, she would have died in that grave - never to be found. The idea of being lost forever made her realize how short life was.

As she peeled off the layers of grimy clothes to shower, she thought about Emma and the reasons behind her motives. She wondered if Emma saw her as a threat - a threat to Rittenhouse or whatever Emma was planning, she wasn't sure. The more she thought about it, the more she started to wonder if maybe she wasn't who they claimed her to be. Maybe she didn't belong with them and Emma wanted her out of the way.

Her mind wandered back to the brief encounters with Flynn. He had tried several times to convince her that she wasn't Amy. There was even a sense of desperation behind his eyes whenever he tried to convince her. Questions continued to arise whenever she thought over why he would say those things. He had no reason to lie to her. He had no idea her memory was fragmented. All of these looming questions only confused her more, but she realized that she had been questioning things herself for some time, he just helped propel her into digging for answers.

Amy scrubbed her skin hard until she broke through the layers of mud that encrusted her body. By the time she was finished, her skin was mottled red. The sound of the shower brought back the storm she had been caught in when Rowan pulled her free from the coffin. Her heart raced as she realized how he searched for her and rescued her from impending death. She also wondered how he knew where to find her. She shook the thought from her mind, believing that it didn't matter. What mattered was how he had saved her.

Her thoughts lingered on Rowan. He had been there for her from the start. He had been protecting her, helping her, and from what she could see, he loved her. It only took her until now to realize it. Her lips turned into a smile at the thought. She found herself excited about the possibility of someone loving her.

She finished her shower as quickly as she could, getting herself dressed again in fresh clothes. She headed back to her room, questioning her feelings and how to approach them. It didn't take her long to return and she tossed her things on the small desk opposite her bed.

Amy sat on the edge of her bed and spotted the book Rowan had given her before they left on the mission. She smiled and reached for it. She saw the cover and opened the first couple of pages, looking for the first chapter.

As she started to read the book, a knock landed on her door. She glanced up, sliding the book next to her as she stood up. She crossed the room and carefully opened the door a crack, peeking out to see who was on the other side. She hoped it wasn't Carol or Emma.

Rowan smiled at her as she glanced out the crack of the door. She returned the gesture as she opened the door fully for him to enter, closing it behind once he was through. Her heart slammed into her chest as she turned around to face him.

He smiled warmly at her, his stormy blue eyes studying her face. "I came to see how ye are doing."

Amy nodded. "I'm doing okay…" her words drifted off before she recovered and asked, "How are you doing?" She motioned to his bandaged wound.

His eyes darted down to her lips for a second before saying, "I'm fine." He shifted in his place as he asked, "What about the conversation with Carol? Are ye doing okay after that?"

Amy scoffed slightly. Carol seemed stunned to see the three of them emerge from the Mothership without Paul. Carol demanded answers from them. She wanted to know what happened and why two of the three were caked in mud, smelling like death. Emma seized control of the conversation while Rowan and Amy wisely stayed silent.

Carol had given an unspoken lecture behind the stern gaze she had toward Amy. Amy could see the disappointment behind the look. Even Emma had given her a look that could kill - the one that told her to be looking over her shoulder. The thought sent shivers down her spine.

She blinked back to Rowan. "I'm fine...just...tired of the eggshells around here."

He nodded, fully understanding her words. His eyes drifted to the book on the bed. He motioned to it. "Have ye started it yet?"

He turned his gaze back to her and she shook her head. "I just opened it when you knocked," she admitted with a smile.

"Oh," he started, almost ashamed. "I'm sorry. I should have-"

She shook her head. "No, you're fine." Feeling the awkward tension growing, she pointed aimlessly to his side, repeating her question from earlier. "You never did say but...how's your wound?"

He placed his hand gingerly on his lower right abdomen. "It's fine, thanks for asking." He took a deep breath in as he added, "Would have been a lot worse had it not been for ye."

She wanted to ask him again about who she was but didn't want to nag him about it. She had no idea how badly he had been shot by Paul until they returned to the Mothership and he strapped into his chair. She saw the severity of the wound but he motioned for her to stay quiet about it. Even now, she wasn't sure if anyone else knew about it except for her and the doctor that treated him when they returned. He seemed to want to keep everything under tight lips. She wasn't even sure if Quinn knew about it.

She swallowed nervously as she studied his expression. His eyes were darting about her face, almost taking in every curve and freckle she had. His breathing had picked up slightly as he stared at her. She licked her lips and brazenly closed the gap between them.

She placed her hand on the side of his face gently, pushing up to the balls of her feet before placing a tender kiss on his lips. She could feel him grow tense for a moment, unsure of what to do or how to react. She could feel his lips respond to hers after a pause. She felt the swarm of butterflies come to life with new vigor as they attacked her stomach. She broke their kiss and took a small step back.

His lips remained parted as he stared at her. He blinked away any doubts as he took control, stepping forward to close the gap between them once more. He cradled her face carefully as he pressed his lips back to hers.

Amy's eyes closed the moment his lips touched hers. Her memory flashed several images across the forefront of her mind in rapid succession. She saw herself standing in the middle of a darkened road, being kissed. Another image of her throwing herself into the arms of a man and even an image of her being kissed in an alley against a wall. As she focused on the man, she realized he was the same in all of those instances - Flynn.

She gasped, pulling herself away from Rowan. Her eyes blinked at him, stunned. She tried to steady her breathing as she stared at him, shaking slightly. She licked her lips and found the words stuck in her throat.

"Amy?" he asked. "Are ye all right? I didn't mean to-"

"You're fine," she said quickly. "It's fine...I…" She swallowed, forcing herself to smile again. "It's fine. Really."

His brows knitted together briefly before he smiled and nodded. "I should go."

"You don't have to-"

"I know but ye need yer rest," he interrupted. "I'll see ye later, yeah?"

She whispered, "Okay…" as she watched him walk over to her door and slip out. She blinked the tears away as she slumped back onto her bed. She rested her head in her hands as she sighed heavily.

That feeling of betrayal grew alongside the guilt as she thought over the memories that flooded her mind. It only left her more confused than ever.

The days dragged on after they had returned from 1892. Amy found herself reading through the book Rowan had given her. She found parts of Frederick Douglass's story very interesting - including the four strange visitors that showed up to help with his birth and their sudden disappearances.

Since their kiss, Rowan had given Amy space to process things. He could sense something had changed between them and he wanted to be respectful of her needs. He made sure to keep a watchful eye on her whenever he could.

Amy sighed, lowering the book from her face. She reached under her pillow and found the Dominion card she had hidden under her mattress to use as a bookmark. She closed the book and set it next to her bed. She needed a break from the story.

She stood up and headed out of her room, down the hall, and towards the infirmary. She hadn't seen Quinn in a while and figured that she'd head there to see how he was doing. She felt guilty for having distanced herself from the only people in the building that seemed trustworthy.

She rounded the corner into Quinn's room. As she knocked on the door, she saw that he was sitting up in bed. His facial bandages were smaller, showing his healing had progressed nicely. His dark eyes lifted to meet hers. He blinked at her, a small smile on his lips.

She smiled at him as she walked in. "Am I interrupting?"

Quinn's eyes never left her as he shook his head. "I was wondering when I'd see ye again." He motioned to the chair next to his bed. "How have ye been?"

She studied his face for a moment. There was something about him that seemed off. His eyes seemed a little darker and his pupils were pinpoints. She didn't know how she knew but she could tell he was hopped up on some kind of medication that wasn't entirely legal.

Shaking her thoughts aside, she replied, "I'm fine...how are you doing?"

The intensity of his stare shook her to her core. This was not the same Quinn she had left. She wondered what happened to him. He asked, "How's Rowan?"

Her brows furrowed and her head tilted slightly. "What do you mean? Has he not been here to talk to you?"

Before Quinn could answer, a knock landed on the door. The two turned in time to see Rowan walking inside. His eyes landed on Amy before it drifted up to see Quinn.

Amy watched Rowan's expression as he stared at Quinn. She could tell even Rowan thought something was different about his brother. He stepped into the room and asked, "How've ye been?"

Quinn's eyes darted between the two suspiciously. They narrowed as he stared at Rowan. "Fine," he muttered. "Seems ye two have become well acquainted?"

Amy shifted in her place, worried that Quinn was about to react harshly. Rowan didn't give any reaction to the remark. "We've spent some time together," Rowan admitted. "As ye've asked. I've kept her protected from them."

Again, Amy noticed that when Rowan said 'them', he said it with such conviction and reflection to the word that it was as though he had eaten some rancid meat. The last time she questioned him on that, he said he was referring to Rittenhouse. She wondered if it was the same 'they' in this conversation.

She studied Quinn as he glared at his older brother. She felt the tension growing in the room. She stood up and said, "I think you two have a lot to talk about."

Amy didn't dare look at Quinn again as she headed for the door. Her eyes lifted to meet Rowan's before she slipped out of the room. He had a sympathetic gaze behind his eyes as she brushed by him. She closed the door behind her as she left, giving them complete privacy.

She began to make her way back to her room. As she rounded the corner, a glimpse of red hair caught her attention. Her head snapped up to see Emma marching toward her. She squared her jaw, standing her ground. Inside, she was terrified.

Emma stopped inches away from Amy's face as she sneered at her. "How long do you think you have before both of those men toss you to the curb?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Amy admitted, remaining in place.

Emma smirked as she stared at the girl. "You know it's only a matter of time," she taunted. "One of them is going to turn on the other and one of them will die-"

"I'd stop talking if I were you," Amy replied, calmly. "You're going to say something you're going to regret-"

Emma laughed. "You've found some backbone, I see." She tilted her head to the side and mocked, "But I know it's only because you know someone will come to rescue you...just wait until you have no one left and then try to be brave."

Amy didn't move as Emma brushed by her, nearly knocking her off her feet as her shoulder slammed into Amy's. She knew Emma's words were a warning. Emma meant to kill her. It was only a matter of time before she succeeded and Amy knew what Emma said was true - especially after seeing the two men together. Eventually, they would turn against each other and she'd be caught in the crossfire.


	32. This One Is Hope

Flynn sat on the old couch in the empty infirmary. He rested his head against Tenley's old hoodie as he read from her small selection of books. He used to be able to smell her scent lingering in the hoodie but it wasn't as strong anymore. It broke his heart to think he had inhaled every last remnant of her since she had been gone.

In an attempt to be closer to her still, he decided to read some of the books she had requested, in an effort to get to know her better. He had chosen to read one of her Jane Austen novels - and not the one with zombies in it, as he never did understand the allure. He had read a couple of the books already but he felt as though he could feel her presence as he thumbed the pages.

With every page he turned, he could envision her fingers turning them with him. He felt as though with every word he read, he was closer to understanding her, drawing himself closer to knowing her mind. He relished every moment spent with her books and feeling that sense of loss when the book was over. It was why he kept reading them.

Flynn tried to focus on the pages but felt himself growing distracted as he sat there in the infirmary. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was changing. He hoped it wasn't a change for the negative.

The door to the infirmary opened causing him to glance over at the door. Jiya had stepped inside, eyes widening at the sight of him. "Oh, sorry!" she gasped. "I didn't know you were in here."

He shook his head, holding up the book. "Just doing some reading."

Jiya cocked her head to see the title. "I didn't figure you to be a 'Pride and Prejudice' kind of guy."

He smiled, glancing at the book in his hands. "I'm not," he admitted with a smile. "I can't get past the language."

Jiya's brows twitched briefly. "So, why read it?"

"Because she did."

Jiya's heart sank at his admittance. She could see the pain in his expression and body language. It broke her heart as she thought about the time when she was separated from Rufus. She sat down at Tenley's little table and asked, "Do you think she'll remember?"

Flynn's eyes lifted to meet hers. "I can't give up on her," his voice cracked as he spoke. "I'll try until my last breath to convince her-"

The room fell silent as he cradled the old copy of the book in his hands. Jiya sat with him, not saying a word, but making sure he wasn't alone while he worked through the thoughts that plagued his mind. She could see his struggle just as easily as his pain. And she knew there was nothing she could do to help him. So, she did the only thing she could. Sit with him.

In the common living area, Wyatt, Lucy, and Rufus sat at the table in silence. Rufus drummed his thumbs on the tabletop and asked, "What's taking her so long to bring out some games?"

"Maybe she got lost," Wyatt joked. "Maybe she took a wrong turn somewhere."

"Maybe she wants to get away from you," Rufus retorted, shooting him an annoyed look.

Lucy's eyes darted between the two. "Or maybe she realized you two would start fighting before we started and decided not to play games tonight." The two looked at her and she smiled, adding, "Or maybe she needs a hand carrying them."

Rufus opened his mouth before closing it quickly. "I should go see if she needs a hand." He pushed his chair out and left the room to find Jiya.

Once they were left alone, Wyatt leaned across the table. "Do you think we need to be worried?"

Lucy's brows furrowed. "About what?"

"Flynn."

"Should we be?"

"I mean," Wyatt began. "He's not known for handling disappointment well-"

"Wyatt…" she started, leaning closer to him. "How would you handle the uh…'disappointment' if you were in his shoes?" She studied his face for a moment, knowing the answer. "How many times are we going to have this conversation?" Wyatt slunk back as she asked, "How many times are you going to give him grief over the choices he made because of the circumstances he's faced?" She crossed her legs, leaning even closer, dropping her voice as she asked, "And when are you going to finally realize that he loves our future daughter and cut him some slack?"

Wyatt leaned fully back in his seat, blinking at her. He swallowed, licking his lips. "I didn't mean to-"

She hummed a response as she leaned back into her chair, bringing her mug full of peppermint tea to her lips. She knew she had won this one and decided not to bury his nose in the matter a moment longer. She felt like a proud mother hen coming to the defense of her child and the person she chose to be with. If she allowed herself to be honest, she was happy that Flynn and Tenley loved each other. It meant that Flynn would always be there to protect her and as a mother, that was all she could hope for. She just wished Wyatt saw it that way.

Amy sighed as she tossed in her bed, unable to sleep. Her mind raced with thoughts from her interactions with Quinn, the threats from Emma, and even the memories that came rushing forward when she kissed Rowan. She couldn't quiet them down and it disrupted her sleep.

Finally feeling frustrated, she sat up and turned the light on next to her bed. She ran her hands down her face before letting them fall next to her. Her eyes stared ahead at the water-damaged corner. It looked almost worse than before. She shook her head slightly as she turned away from it.

Her eyes eventually found the book on her nightstand. She reached over and grabbed it. She opened it up to where the Dominion 'witch' card was and began to read more about the fascinating life of Frederick Douglass.

Five pages in from where her bookmark was, Amy found herself in the middle of the book where several pages of artist rendition type pictures of the man's life were included. She studied each one carefully as she gazed upon them. She turned the page to look at more when familiar faces appeared.

She sat upright, staring at the pictures. One of the images had her sister Lucy with Flynn outside of a hotel with Frederick Douglass's uncle. The next image showed some poorly drawn wanted posters that she could only assume were meant to be the others.

Amy scoffed as she looked at the next page of pictures. Her heart stopped and her breath caught in her throat. There was a picture of herself with Frederick Douglass's mother. Underneath the image, it listed her as the midwife that delivered him safely.

She blinked at the picture, staring at the black and white image of herself. She wondered if Rowan knew that she was in this book and if that was the reason he gave it to her. Her mind raced with memories of Flynn practically begging her to remember who she was - that her name wasn't Amy but Tenley and she was a doctor.

The pieces were beginning to come together as she realized even now, she had what she could only assume to be 'natural instincts' when it came to medicine and helping patch wounds, like when Rowan had been shot by Emma… but now, she realized that Flynn had told her the truth.

Her heart raced as she thought over everything that she had endured since being with Rittenhouse. The only ones who seemed trustworthy had been Quinn and Rowan, yet there was some hesitation as to why they didn't tell her the truth from the beginning.

Amy decided to keep this revelation to herself for the time being. She needed to think things over until she was certain of what it all meant - who she could trust and what had happened. She knew the dangers she'd face if she let it be known too soon that she was beginning to remember things. She was beginning to remember who she was.

There was a knock at the door, breaking Amy's concentration. She slammed her book closed, tucking it under her pillow for safekeeping. She stood up and padded across the room to the door. Cracking the door open, her eyes landed on Carol.

"What's wrong?" Amy asked, opening the door all the way to look at her.

Carol said, "We have a mission and you're going on this one."

Her brows knitted together briefly. "Why?"

Carol's stare shifted into one of annoyance. "Please don't argue with me. Just come with me." As Amy turned back into her room to retrieve her shoes, Carol asked, "How's your memory?" Amy glanced over her shoulder to stare at Carol, wide-eyed like a deer in headlights. Carol added, "As in your ability to memorize things?"

"Oh," Amy said, drawing the word out. "It's average, I guess...why?"

"I have something important for you to look over," Carol replied. Once Amy gathered herself, she closed the door behind her as the two walked down the hallway together.

Amy wanted to ask what it was but decided to wait until Carol passed it to her. She didn't want her to reconsider sending her on this mission. If there was a chance for her to find Flynn - she'd have questions.

The two entered the room with the Mothership and Carol motioned for Amy to follow her to the desk at the opposite end of the room. She reached out and grabbed a folder from the file cabinet. She opened it and began unfolding the large paper before setting in on the tabletop.

Amy's brows furrowed as she stared down at the blueprints of a building. "What is this?"

"These are blueprints of a house," Carol told her. "A house I need you to know inside and out."

Amy lifted her eyes to meet Carol. "Whatever for?"

"So you don't get lost," Carol replied simply.

Turning back to the table, Amy asked, "What's so important in this house that-"

"There are important Rittenhouse documents there," Carol stated. "And we need to find them before the others do, just like last time."

"Last time?" Amy questioned, clearly confused.

Carol's lips twisted with disappointment. "The Rittenhouse documents you guys pulled from the coffin?" She shook her head, ignoring the confusion on Amy's face. She pointed to the blueprints. "Memorize them."

The comment regarding documents hidden in the coffin on the last mission had caused Amy to grow tense. She had no idea that was why they were there. Her mind started to race with thoughts of Emma and if the woman's plan to bury her alive that night was truly a spontaneous act of opportunity considering the coffin would be open.

Amy shook the disturbing thoughts aside and swallowed her nerves as she stared at the images of different rooms that led nowhere. The whole blueprint seemed to be a maze. It made no sense to her. It wasn't just the blueprints that had her on edge but the fact that there was something important to Rittenhouse that she could only assume Lucy and the others were after.

Amy decided on the spot. She needed to memorize this blueprint to the best of her ability. She needed to find Flynn. She needed to get whatever it was they were looking for over to them before Rittenhouse got a hold of it. This would be her mission.

In the bunker, Jiya silenced the blaring alarms as she read off the date. "April 17, 1906," she began. "Santa Clara."

Lucy shook her head. "That's just hours before the 1906 earthquake that killed hundreds-"

Rufus shuddered. "Another time-sensitive mission? Great."

"What if they are there to make sure someone doesn't die?" Wyatt suggested. "Did anyone die that would have mattered to them?"

Lucy shrugged. "They weren't great at cataloging the dead back then," she explained. "It's … I hate to say it but it's a needle in a very large haystack."

Agent Christopher nodded. "Be careful," she warned. "Get out fast if you need to. I'd rather we deal with the consequences of Rittenhouse winning this one than losing any more of you."

Flynn caught her glance as she spoke. He knew she had been missing Tenley as much as the others and it was the first time she had come outright to admit it - or at least, as close as she would ever get to admitting it.

The normal crew climbed into the Lifeboat. Flynn glanced over his shoulder at Agent Christopher. He nodded curtly before heading for his chair. The moment he sat down and strapped in, the hatch closed, and the Lifeboat flung itself through time and space.

1906

When the team emerged from the Lifeboat, they glanced about the area. They were in what would be a very populated community in their timeline but here, it was nothing but tall trees and overgrown plant life.

Rufus chuckled as he glanced about the area. "I think this is where the Intel Museum is in our timeline."

Wyatt smirked at the tone of Rufus's voice. It was clear to him that Rufus was excited. "Of course, you'd know where that would be."

Rufus shrugged. "At least I know where I am."

Lucy's eyes scanned the area as she thought over the time. "Which way towards town?" Rufus pointed out in the general area. She started hiking toward civilization, lost in her memory banks of information.

Wyatt asked, "How bad is this earthquake? I know you said it killed hundreds but-"

Lucy interrupted him. "It leveled houses, ripped up the streets, and killed hundreds of people," she told him. "And not just in Santa Clara, but as far as San Jose and San Francisco."

"So," Wyatt started. "Big."

"And bad," Rufus added. "Like the Big, Bad Wolf…" He turned his gaze to the others. When no one laughed, he muttered, "Tough room."

The team walked in relative silence as they headed into town. They managed to steal some appropriate clothing to change into before making public appearances within the town itself.

They wandered the city square of Santa Clara, searching for any inspiration as to why they were there. So far, they hadn't spotted anything or anyone. Lucy found an old newspaper left behind on the bench just outside of a park. She sat down, grabbing the folded paper and began to skim the words.

"Anything?" Rufus asked. When she didn't answer, he asked, "You don't think this is another one of those missions that Rittenhouse brings us here as a distraction in hopes that we end up dead in some unfortunate accident, do you?"

Wyatt glanced over at Lucy and Flynn. The thought had occurred to him but he was hesitant to say anything. Ever since the mission with the Nazis storming the Hamptons, Wyatt had questioned their motives.

"You weren't kidding about the haystack," Rufus mumbled as he glared down the street, squinting in the sunlight. "Why can't things be easy, just once?"

"Like you?" Wyatt joked.

Rufus rolled his eyes. "Dude, I think you're talking about yourself again."

Flynn rolled his eyes before gazing out across the busy street and sidewalks of the city at the passersby. None of them knew of the dangers that were coming in the early morning hours of the next day, nor did they realize the dangers that lurked beside them with Rittenhouse - if they were even there.


	33. Supreme In Design

Amy walked close beside Rowan as they followed Emma and another agent down the nearly empty sidewalk that led to the end of the long street. The trees were blooming with beautiful pink and red flowers. The roses that clung to the wooden fences had erupted in various shades of yellows, pinks, and reds. With every deep inhale, Amy could smell spring in full swing.

They turned to the left, entering into a lush yard full of tall trees and blooming plants. The sidewalk wound its way around the gardens to the stone steps of a massive building. As Amy's eyes lifted up along the side of the building, she heard herself gasp at the sheer size of it. She now fully understood the importance of looking over the blueprints. They could easily get lost inside this massive building if they were not careful.

Standing before them was a beautiful grand house that stood seven stories tall. Green ivy climbed the walls in sections, rounded tower-like additions graced the corners and the occasional wall. The windows were tall, some beautiful stained glass, with elegant golden trimming. The balconies outside certain rooms overlooked the lush gardens and fountains below. It was a mesmerizing building to behold.

"What is this place?" Amy asked, unable to tear her dark eyes away from the building.

Emma's lips twisted into a sly smile as she glanced over her shoulder at the girl. "Welcome to the Winchester house."

In town, the time team found themselves sitting inside an old diner, dissecting the newspaper they took from the park bench. They had a couple of pages each, trying to find anything that would give them clues as to why they were there. Wyatt even tried asking the waitress about any strange newcomers but the woman seemed aloof and unhelpful.

Rufus sighed, dropping his pages onto the tabletop. "I've got nothing."

"Same," Wyatt mumbled as he let his fall to the table. He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to work out the strain building. "What if Rufus is right? What if this is just a distraction to keep us here in hopes that we get caught in the earthquake?"

Flynn lifted his eyes over the top of his pages to watch Wyatt. He'd be lying if he didn't think the same thing as the soldier but something deep down inside told him this was important. He didn't know why. He turned back to his paper.

Lucy shook her head slightly. "I don't know. There's nothing in the paper to suggest otherwise." She brushed a strand of her hair to the side of her face before twisting her lips in thought.

Wyatt had seen that look far too many times. He knew she was thinking hard over historical details that might even seem minuscule. He kept his eye on her but remained silent as she usually got upset when he interrupted her train of thought.

Flynn continued reading his paper when something caught his attention from the men sitting behind him in the next booth. He blinked, listening carefully to their conversation.

"That crazy old woman is building more onto that house?" one of them asked, almost shocked.

His friend replied, "I saw more workers show up this morning."

"How much more could she possibly add to that house?"

"Beats me," the second replied. "There were a few women too, so maybe I am misinformed. Perhaps they are servant staff."

Flynn folded his papers and set them down. "I know where they are."

The team turned to him. "What?" Lucy asked, stunned. "Where?"

He motioned with his head as he slipped out from the booth and made his way toward the door. The others followed him out. As they walked down the lane, Flynn turned to Rufus and asked, "Do you happen to remember which direction the Winchester house is located?"

"The Winchester house?" Rufus repeated, brows furrowed. Finally, his expression turned from confusion into amusement. "Lawrence, Kansas." The answer resulted in a few rolled eyes.

Lucy blinked, almost stunned that she hadn't come up with the answer sooner. "Of course," she gasped. "I forgot the house was here!"

"When did Sam and Dean move to Santa Clara?" Rufus asked.

Flynn knitted his brows together as he glanced at Rufus. "I thought you knew the area?"

"Yeah," Rufus began. "For the important tech-related stuff-"

Lucy waved their comments aside. "Sarah Winchester's husband was the man who invented the Winchester rifle," she began to explain. "After his death, she inherited his fortune and she believed the unfortunate souls who lost their lives by his invention had come back to exact their revenge on her and her family."

"Meaning what?" Rufus questioned as they continued down the sidewalk.

Wyatt chimed in. "Meaning after losing her child and spouse, she went crazy." He motioned to his head to show 'crazy' as he met Rufus's stare.

Lucy sighed, head bobbing to the side. "She thought their deaths were not natural and thought she was cursed because of it, so she bought an unfinished estate and continued expanding on it to deter any ill will toward her that the spirits might have left over."

Rufus's face contorted. "That's crazy though…"

Lucy motioned with her hands as though that statement proved the point she was trying to make. "So, if Rittenhouse is here and if they are targeting the Winchester house...it makes me wonder why."

"You don't think this Sarah Winchester is Rittenhouse, do you?" Rufus asked. "I mean, do you think that's why they're here?"

The looks they exchanged told Rufus they hadn't considered this as an option. Wyatt touched his jacket where his gun was holstered. "Then we best be careful."

The team found themselves entering the lush gardens of the massive estate. Rufus's mouth fell agape as he stared at it. "I would have remembered this back home…"

Lucy's head cocked as she looked at the grandiose house. "Actually, it's much different in our time. It's only four stories back home-"

"So, are we just going to walk up and knock on the door?" Wyatt questioned.

"We've done it before," Flynn remarked as he began to approach the front steps. They watched as he stopped at the door before knocking on it. He glanced over his shoulder, wondering if they were planning on joining him.

Lucy was the first to come up to the door, glancing up at him briefly before staring at the door. The other two made their way slowly just as the door opened.

Standing on the other side of the door was a servant, dressed in professional, almost stereotypical fashion. The man's brown hair was slicked back, shining from too much oil. His brown eyes bounced between the team members. "May I be of assistance?"

Flynn gave him a curt nod. "Hello, yes. Is your mistress around?"

The man nodded. "She's entertaining guests at the moment."

"These guests," Flynn began. "Wouldn't happen to be strangers who showed up here earlier today? A red-haired woman, perhaps?" He held his hand out beside him. "Yay high?"

The servant eyed them for a moment before nodding ever so slightly. He shifted under their gaze, almost as if he were being watched from somewhere inside the house. He didn't elaborate or answer the question with words. Flynn gave him a quick nod, letting him know that he understood.

"You can ask the servants who are in the back of the house," the man suggested, pointing around the house. "They might be able to help you find what you're looking for."

Flynn gave a small smile, tugging Lucy along as the servant closed the door. Lucy's brows were furrowed as she stumbled over her feet beside the man. "What's going on?" she asked.

"He is telling us to use the servants' entrance," Flynn explained as they continued onward, around the house. "We might just be able to slip inside without them knowing."

They followed the small garden path to the servants' entrance that sat on the bottom floor of the building. Flynn walked up to the door and turned the handle, finding it unlocked. He glanced over his shoulder at the others, silently motioning to them with his head to follow him inside.

The inside of the house was just as grand as the outside. There were massive windows inside the house, most of the materials used were made from wood. There were staircases and fireplaces all over the place and even elevators.

Wyatt whistled low. "This place is insane!"

Lucy nodded. "We could get lost in here," she stated. "There are over 160 rooms - some secret...also," she quickly added, holding her finger up. "The staircases might lead you to a dead-end...so...just be aware."

"Should we split up?" Wyatt asked, eyes still wide as he took in all the details of the place.

Lucy wanted to shake her head but Flynn said, "I don't think that'd be wise right now. We should stick together. Find Rittenhouse and Sarah Winchester first."

"Where would we even look?" Rufus asked, still glancing about the massive house. "This is like a Fun Maze House at a carnival...just, you know, without the fun…"

Footsteps echoed from behind them. As they turned to look, they came face to face with non-other than Sarah Winchester. "I see I have more guests," she said, glancing about the team, a look of wariness washing over her expression. "Just as I had earlier today - a group of four…"

"Are you all right, ma'am?" Wyatt asked. "You look unwell-"

Sarah's eyes narrowed at him. "I will not answer to malevolent spirits."

"Wait, what?" Rufus muttered. He pointed to himself. "You think we're spirits?"

"Everyone who comes into this house searching for me," she began. "Is seeking revenge against me for what my late husband did in this life. And just like the four spirits before you, you too shall lose your way, trapped in this house forever!"

Rufus almost expected her to laugh manically after her monologue. He was disappointed that she hadn't.

"Ma'am-" Wyatt tried to say, hand outstretched to stop her from bolting from the room.

They watched as Sarah Winchester rushed to the far wall and opened a hidden door that swung open from the paintings that hung on the wall before she slipped inside, and closed it behind her. Wyatt sprinted forward, trying to keep the door open but as he tried to reach out for it, he found it firmly locked and unable to find the hidden switch to open it again.

"I guess we better split up," Wyatt stated, running a hand through his hair. "Any guesses where to begin?"

Lucy shook her head. "I have no idea," she started. "I came here once a long time ago...I mean…" she finally shook her head of the time travel flub and said, "It's different in our time than now…"

Wyatt sighed. "Let's go…" He held his hand out to Lucy, who promptly took it and they headed toward the West wing of the house.

Rufus glanced over to Flynn. "Guess that means it's you and me...East?"

Flynn nodded slowly, thinking about the house. He knew of the house but having never set foot inside, he wondered how lost they would become. He also knew that Rittenhouse was in the house, too. Dangers were lingering around every corner. He removed his gun from his jacket, deciding that it was better to go into it prepared than not.

Rufus eyed the man's handgun. "Are you sure that's wise?"

Flynn glanced over to Rufus before looking at his gun. "What are you talking about?"

"Remember what Lucy said?" Rufus started. "The woman's afraid ghosts are after her for her husband's invention...the rifle?"

"Does this look like a rifle to you?"

"A gun is a gun is a gun," Rufus muttered as he fell into line with Flynn.

Ignoring Rufus, Flynn led them carefully through the house, following the hallway that would lead them to a set of double stairs, leading in opposite directions. Rufus glanced up each stairwell. "What are the odds that they meet up at the same place?" Flynn held his stare for a moment, giving him a doubtful expression. Rufus nodded glumly. "I thought so." With a heavy sigh, Flynn reached into his jacket, removing another handgun from his holster, passing it over to Rufus. Rufus hesitated to take it. "You want us to split up?"

"We'd cover more ground this way," Flynn suggested.

Rufus shook his head. "Have you ever seen a horror movie? Splitting up the party is always the worst idea-"

"Rufus-"

"I think we should stick together-"

"Rufus," Flynn repeated, voice growing sharp. "We don't have time for this."

Rufus's lips curled into a sneer as he snatched the gun from Flynn's outstretched hand. "Fine. If I die, I'm coming back Ghostbuster style and haunting your ass!"

"Wouldn't expect anything less from you."

Rufus chuckled slightly at Flynn's remark, clearly not expecting that. He glanced up the stairs to the left. "I guess I'll go left and hope they led to nowhere."

Flynn nodded. "I'll head the opposite way. If you end up in a dead-end, meet back here."

The two split up and began ascending their separate stairs. Flynn cautiously continued up the creaking steps. As he rounded the corner, he saw the stairs continued further up and a small hallway that led deeper into the next floor. He glanced up the stairs then down the hall, weighing his options carefully.

Sounds of footsteps further up the stairs thumped overhead. Flynn gritted his teeth, listening to the sounds carefully. Whoever was up there was alone and they sounded small - not like a man's gait. He decided to take a chance and continued up the stairs to see who he'd find at the top.

Seeing the end of the stairs before him, Flynn slowed his pace, cautiously glancing over the last of the steps to see where the person was. His eyes landed on Emma as she seemed to be trying to find a hidden entry within the hallway. He aimed his weapon as he darted up the last steps.

She whirled around, gun in hand. She didn't even hesitate as she pulled the trigger several times.

The bullets snapped by Flynn as he darted into a nearby hallway to avoid getting shot. Splinters from the wooden walls blew out from the bullets. Flynn waited for a break in her fire before popping his head around the corner, gun aimed forward.

She was gone. He scanned the hallway, searching for any indication of where she had slipped by. With his gun still pointing out before him, he studied the ornate rugs in the hallway, looking for any sign of them being disturbed. They were flat. He glanced up to peer further down the hallway. Movement at the very end caught his attention. He bolted toward the end to catch up.

As he rounded the corner, he saw a door to a hidden passageway beginning to close. Breaking into a sprint, Flynn reached out to stop the door from closing. He slipped inside, raising his gun once again at the figure within.

Staring back at him, mouth agape, hands raising in defense was Tenley. She stepped back quickly within the small room, back into the wall.

Flynn's eyes darted about the inside of the small room. It was a dead end with no other entrance or exit other than the one behind him. He heard the door close behind him, clicking loudly as it latched.

He raised his hands, showing her he wasn't going to harm her. "I'm not going to hurt you…"

She didn't respond, let alone blink as she stared at him with her wide eyes. Her breathing had picked up, showcasing her fear.

He put his gun back in his holster, hands still up. "Tenley?" He took a small step toward her. He watched as her posture turned rigid and he stopped. "I know you don't remember much -"

"I remember kissing you," she blurted out. "Why do I remember kissing you?"

He blinked at her, words caught in his throat. He hadn't expected her to remember something like that. Hearing her admittance, Flynn so desperately wanted to tell her exactly why she remembered kissing him. He wanted to tell her that he knew her favorite book and how she took her coffee. He wanted to tell her that he thought her faded freckles were like constellations. He wanted her to know that her laugh was one of his favorite sounds and he missed it - how she had beguiled him, mind, body, and soul - that she was his world.

The two of them stared at each other in silence - with her waiting on him to answer and him trying to think of how to respond. Her hands quaked as she held them up, unsure of what to do. Her heart hammered against her ribcage as she watched him carefully.

Without warning and without even thinking about doing it, Flynn closed the distance between them. He kissed her. He couldn't think of anything else to say to her but he knew he was home the moment his lips connected with hers. He had missed her breath on his skin as he pulled away from her just as quickly as he had kissed her.

She blinked at him, completely stunned. She lowered her hands. "That was…" she paused, sighing. "Not helpful."

He laughed softly before saying, "I'm sorry...I just-"

"My name isn't Amy, is it?" she asked suddenly.

He shook his head. "No."

"What does Rittenhouse want with me?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Flynn's face fell. "I don't know…" He saw her nod slowly as she took in his words. He asked, "What about Bloodstone? Do they want you for something?"

Confusion washed over her face. "Who?"


	34. What The Seeker Had Sought

Rowan glanced over his shoulder to see that Amy had disappeared. His adrenaline raced as he began scouring the house as best as he could to find her. He hoped Emma wasn't trying another stunt as she did back in 1892. God have mercy on her if that was the case because he certainly wouldn't.

He slipped down a back corridor and heard footsteps on the stairs before him. Quickly, he darted into a side room, peeking around the corner to see who was coming up.

His eyes landed on Sarah Winchester. He watched her for a moment as she meandered her way closer to him. He reached for his gun and paused, second-guessing his decision to use it.

"There's no need for that here," her voice called out. His brow furrowed at her words. She spoke again, "Come on out. We have much to discuss."

Face contorted with confusion, he did as asked. He rounded the corner to see her standing there, watching him emerge. "How'd ye know I was there?"

"I know a lot of things," she told him, shrugging slightly. "Follow me. We can't linger in one place for too long."

He scoffed but fell in line with her. She led him to a massive painting of a Union soldier on the wall. She pushed a hidden switch, the loud click releasing the door echoing around them. The painting swung inward and she stepped forward, waving for him to follow. As he passed into the hidden passageway, she closed the painting, clicking it locked.

She brushed by him and continued down the narrow corridor. "I've been waiting for you for some time."

"What do ye mean by that?"

She glanced over her shoulder briefly. "You're late," she scolded. "You were supposed to be here a couple of days ago but I guess time travel does muck things up." She turned to face him as she opened another hidden walkway. "Don't look so surprised, it makes us look bad."

"Us?"

"Bloodstone," she replied, leading him further into the house.

He staggered on his step at her admittance. "Ye're Bloodstone?"

She halted in her tracks, hands on her hips as she glared at him. "You didn't know?" She sighed, shaking her head. "I suppose it was planned this way…"

"What was?" Rowan asked, following her.

"The less you know, the better," she stated. "Now then… you're here for the important documents that Rittenhouse is after, correct?" He nodded, blinking through his stunned confusion. She smirked, sliding the hanging picture on the wall to the side, revealing a hidden switch.

Rowan watched as the woman pressed the switch and another picture hanging across the room swung open. She walked over and reached into the cubby behind it. He heard the sounds of papers rustling as she pulled out an envelope, still sealed.

She began to meander her way over to him. She held the envelope out to him. "Make sure you take them and keep them safe from Rittenhouse." She pulled it back as his hand neared it. He lifted his gaze to meet hers as she added, "It's imperative that you not fail with this task. The tides of this war depend on it."

Rowan nodded as he reached for the envelope once more. As he took it from her, his eyes darted to it. He fought the urge to open it up and read the contents. He nodded again slowly. "Thank ye."

Sarah gave him a curt nod. "Now, I would suggest you find your young doctor friend and get out of this house while you still can."

"What do ye mean?"

"While the earthquake is coming," she reminded him. "You forget that Emma is still on a mission…"

Rowan cocked his head slightly. "She's still after Amy?"

Sarah chuckled softly. "Until...Amy," her voice inflection on the name didn't go unnoticed by Rowan as she continued, "is no longer around, Emma will continue to go after her."

"But why?" Rowan asked.

Sarah held her hand up, silencing him. "Now is not the time for such questions. You are needed elsewhere."

Rowan opened his mouth but felt a slight tremor under his feet. He glanced around the small room. "What was that?"

"The beginning," Sarah sighed. "You best find your friend and go." Rowan watched as she opened another passageway for him. She motioned out of the room. "This should get you to her general area. Good luck."

As he slipped by her into the vacant hallway, he heard the hidden door close behind him, leaving him alone on a landing between floors. He glanced up the stairs, then down. He inhaled deeply as he headed up.

Rufus found himself following dead ends. He'd reach one, turn around, and find another. He shook his head, gritting his teeth. "This place seriously needs a damn map."

"Rufus?" a familiar voice spoke behind him. He turned around to see Wyatt and Lucy staring at him with amusement. "What are you doing?"

Wyatt smirked, looking at the wall. "You talking to walls again?"

"Funny," Rufus quipped. "I've been walking in circles for hours."

"Where's Flynn?" Lucy asked, glancing about the area.

"We split up about an hour ago," Rufus admitted. "I tried to find the place where we split up but…" he motioned around as if the house explained everything for him.

Wyatt's lips pressed into a thin line as he glanced over his shoulder, trying hard not to burst into a fit of laughter. "Come on," he said with a wave of his hand. "Let's try to find him."

"Have you guys seen anyone else?"

Lucy shook her head. "We haven't even run into any of the staff here either."

"What?" Rufus began. "Did they all just vanish like ghosts?"

"I wouldn't say that too loudly," Lucy replied with a tilt of her head. "Given the circumstances…"

"You never said how crazy she was," Rufus complained, falling in line with them.

The three continued through the house, trying to track down Flynn or even Sarah Winchester. So far, they'd come up empty. When the floor beneath their feet vibrated, they stopped. The light fixtures swung slightly, the window panes throughout the house creaked and rattled.

As soon as it stopped, Rufus asked, "What was that?" He looked over to Lucy and said, "Please tell me that wasn't what I thought…"

Lucy's face faltered as she met Rufus's gaze. Worry washed over her features, lips parting as she tried to think of something to say but words failed her. Rufus nodded curtly, no longer needing her confirmation.

Wyatt grabbed her hand, tugging her along. "We better find Flynn and get the hell out of here."

"What about Sarah Winchester?" Lucy asked, following behind Wyatt. "We can't leave here while Rittenhouse is still in the house!"

Rounding the corner, the trio came face to face with Emma and one of her men. The group exchanged surprised glances before Wyatt pushed Rufus and Lucy back around the corner for protection, drawing his gun from his holster.

Aiming the gun before him, Wyatt fired off a couple of rounds at the same time Emma and her man opened fire upon them. Their bullets landed into the doorframe and hallway walls, splintering off debris, causing Wyatt to retreat behind the corner.

As the sounds of gunfire ceased, Wyatt popped his head around the corner, gun aimed before him but the hallway was empty. He cursed under his breath, giving chase to the fleeing two.

"Wyatt!" Lucy called after him. She scoffed as he ignored her. She reached out, grabbing Rufus's hand. "Come on!" The two rushed after him, hoping to stick together.

Wyatt gave chase as he rounded another corner. The second his body came around the corner, the sound of gunfire erupted. Searing pain engulfed his shoulder as he crumpled against the far wall. Grimacing at the pain, he slid down the wall, clutching his wound. The gunfire ceased and Wyatt could hear the faint sounds of feet retreating from him.

He lifted his gaze as he heard a pair of footsteps approaching him. Lucy and Rufus had appeared before him, faces showcasing their concern and fear for him. Lucy slumped to her knees next to him, hand over her mouth.

Wyatt wasn't sure if she was trying to keep from sobbing or throwing up as she stared at his wound. "It's fine. It's a graze," he groaned. "I lost them-"

"It's okay," she cooed. "We have to get you back to…" her voice trailed as she fought the urge to say Tenley. "We have to get you back."

"What about Flynn?" Rufus asked, helping Wyatt to his feet with Lucy's aid.

Wyatt grimaced, blowing a heavy sigh as he stood up. "If we don't find him on our way out, we'll come back for him."

"Assuming he lives through the earthquake-"

"That's his fault for running off!" Wyatt snapped.

Lucy met Rufus's gaze. She offered a small sympathetic smile, unsure what to say. The three slowly made their way down the halls, hoping they wouldn't run into another ambush.

Flynn watched the confusion slowly melt away from Amy's face as she blinked at him. He could tell she was trying to understand all that he had told her, which was a lot, he had to admit. He waited for a moment to see if she had questions.

Her tongue darted out to wet her lips as she asked, "So...Bloodstone is worse than Rittenhouse?"

Flynn gave a curt nod. "You're sure you've never heard of them before now?"

A short sigh escaped from her. "They don't exactly tell me much-"

"Probably for the better," he stated. His brows knitted together for a moment as he braved his next question. "What about Rowan?"

"What about him?"

"Do you trust him?" Flynn asked, carefully studying her face. "Is he one of them?"

"I trust him," she admitted. "Rowan and his brother-"

"Brother?"

"Yes…" she began, voice drawing out the word. "They have been very protective of me since they found me…" she noticed his mind racing and asked, "Why? What aren't you telling me?"

Flynn shook his head, hanging it slightly. "I don't know anything about them," he admitted. "I truly hope your instincts regarding them are correct…" He pinched the bridge of his nose briefly before meeting her gaze again. "You can't trust everyone you come across-"

"Because they might be …" she paused, thinking. "What'd you call them again? Sleeper agents?"

He bit back a smile. Her confusion was almost endearing. It only added to the obvious void she left behind - he had missed her. He nodded. "Yes, sleepers," he said. "Bloodstone has been very crafty in their approach."

"Sounds like it," she said with a nod. "I mean, plucking people from their own times to train them as would-be assassins is no small feat."

Flynn smiled at her again, a gesture he hadn't realized he missed until this conversation. The sounds of a voice faintly calling out caused his smile to disappear. "Amy!"

Amy turned her gaze to the walls of the small room they stood in. She swallowed nervously, eyebrows drawing together. "Did you hear that?"

Flynn's heart sank the moment he heard the voice. He knew it meant she would be leaving him again. His mind raced with ways to keep her from going back with Rittenhouse but he knew there was a fine line to walk regarding this matter. He couldn't force her to stay with him - even if that's what he wanted - she had to make that choice.

Amy could see the battle raging in his mind. It was written plainly on his face. The hurt and pain on his expression gave it away. She wasn't sure what to say to him. She cautiously stepped forward, placing her hand gently on his cheek. "Don't worry…"

The tears that swelled behind his eyes threatened to fall. He refused to let them as he regained control of his emotions. Gritting his teeth, all he could do was study her face once more, memorizing her again - to hold him over until he saw her again.

"I have to go," she whispered.

"No," he growled softly. "You don't."

Offering a small half-smile, filled with her own sadness, she nodded. "Yes, I do…" She let her hand fall to her side and added, "If what you told me is true, then you should have an ally on the inside of their operation…" Flynn's expression hardened as her words penetrated his mind. She smirked. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Flynn's throat closed around the words he wanted to say. His mouth ran dry and his heart raced. He feared for her at that moment, knowing full-well if Rittenhouse or even Bloodstone were to realize she was working as a double agent, her life was over.

She didn't allow him the opportunity to say anything as she began searching for the exit to the small hidden room. The voice outside in the hallway seemed louder as they heard the call again.

Before Amy could find the switch to open the room, they both heard the familiar clicking sound and the door swung open. Their eyes lifted to see Rowan standing in the doorway, glaring at the two.

Rowan's hardened stare latched onto Flynn. His eyes flashed with anger. "Amy? Are ye all right?" She nodded, opening her mouth to respond when he cut her off. "Let her come back with me," he warned Flynn.

Flynn took the man's posture in. He wasn't convinced that Rowan was angry with him but he couldn't say for sure. He motioned to Amy. "It's her decision, don't you think?"

Rowan's gaze never faltered from Flynn. He asked, "Amy?"

Her dark eyes bounced between the two. "I'm coming with you…" she slipped out from the small room, standing behind Rowan, grabbing the hem of his coat. "Come on. We have to go."

Rowan nodded to let her know that he heard her but his eyes remained locked with Flynn. He slowly reached into his coat, pulling an envelope out from within. He held it up and said, "I think this might be of use to ye. Don't let it fall into the wrong hands."

"What is it?" Flynn questioned.

"Something very important," Rowan replied, tossing the envelope toward Flynn's feet. "And if I were ye, I'd get out of here while there's still time."

"What about Rittenhouse?"

Rowan shook his head. "Ye're running out of time, mate." Rowan slowly began to back away from Flynn. He reached out and grabbed Amy's hand and as soon as they reached the corner to the hallway, he finally turned and darted away.

Flynn watched them, eyes on Amy. Seeing her gazing back at him one last time before disappearing again was enough to make him want to punch a wall. Instead, his eyes drifted to his feet where the sealed envelope sat. He bent down quickly and picked it up, depositing it into his coat pocket for safekeeping.

One thing was certain, Flynn knew he was running out of time. He darted down the hall, searching for the correct route that would lead him to his friends and out of the house before the massive earthquake struck. He knew it wouldn't be long before that disaster as they were already feeling the subtle shaking. It was only a matter of time.

As Flynn headed down the stairs, he stumbled into his team. His eyes immediately were drawn to the bloodstain on Wyatt's shoulder. "What happened?"

"Where were you?" Wyatt groaned, eyes narrowed and his face contorted with pain.

Flynn chose to ignore the obvious accusatory tone behind Wyatt's comment. He decided it was more important to get out of this time before the quake. "I'll explain when we're out of here."

Flynn took point of the group, his gun aimed out before him as he led the others through the house. His eyes darted about each room and hallway, searching for any sign of Rittenhouse or even Sarah Winchester. So far, there was no one. He turned the corner and spotted a dead end. He sighed heavily, glancing over his shoulder.

"Another one?" Rufus grumbled. "Seriously, we need a map!"

"Or you could simply ask for help," a voice spoke behind them.

Whirling around, they came face to face with Sarah. They exchanged glances as the woman stared back at them, her hands interlaced together before her. Lucy blinked at her. "You'd do that?"

Sarah smiled sardonically. "If it means you leave and never come back," she started, then paused. "And I mean - never - then yes, I'll help you."

Rufus shifted in his place. He sort of hoped to be able to travel to the house in their time to see how much had changed. It was then he realized who they were dealing with. "You're Rittenhouse?"

"Ha!" Sarah laughed. "You need more imagination." She glanced over the team and asked, "Do you want my help out or not?"

"What do we have to lose?" Wyatt moaned.

Sarah's smile didn't falter. "Nothing but your lives, I suppose."

"You're kind of creepy," Rufus told her. "You know that right?" Then he quickly asked, "Is it on your job description to be creepy as a sleeper?"

Sarah rolled her eyes as she brushed by the group, leading them further toward the dead end. "You don't have much time," she said, tugging on a small braided cord. A door popped open and she motioned toward it. "Follow the steps down and it will lead you into the back garden."

"Why are you helping us?" Rufus questioned, brows furrowed.

Sarah glanced over her shoulder to look at him. "Are you arguing?"

Rufus was quick to shake his head. "No, no...I just…"

"Let's get going," Wyatt groaned, interrupting Rufus.

Sarah watched them as they cautiously approached her. Lucy, Rufus, and Wyatt headed into the secret passage first. Flynn held Sarah's gaze briefly. He could see the amusement on her face, the glimmer of knowing behind her eyes. She held onto a mystery that would remain so.

"What are you going to do?" he asked, cautiously.

Her lips turned up into a sly smile. "What I'm destined to do…" she chuckled.

"You don't have to stay here," he told her. "You could leave."

She laughed, reaching out to pat his cheek. "Why do you care about what happens to me? Am I not your enemy?"

He gazed deep into her eyes. "I'm not sure yet."

Her smile started to disappear. "You need not be afraid, Flynn," she said, motioning to the door. "Things will begin to make sense to you, in good and perfect time."

"Thank you," Flynn said, studying her carefully as he approached the door. "Take care of yourself."

She smirked. "Better get moving. You have ten minutes."


	35. Identification

Present Day

The team gathered in the infirmary after returning home. Wyatt laid on the exam table while Jiya and Flynn worked together to patch up the deep graze on his left shoulder.

Agent Christopher asked, "What happened?"

Flynn glanced at Jiya, silently telling her to take over while he spoke. "Sarah Winchester was a sleeper-"

"Rittenhouse?" Denise asked, arms crossed over her chest.

"Bloodstone," Flynn corrected.

The room fell silent at the admission. Rufus scoffed. "Man, is it a requirement for those guys to find the creepiest people?"

"How do you know she's Bloodstone?" Agent Christopher asked.

"Because," Flynn began. "She insinuated being such." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Not to mention, she helped us out of that house."

"What did they want there?" Denise asked, brows furrowed and her expression confused. "Why was Rittenhouse and Bloodstone both there?"

Flynn gave a short shrug with one shoulder. "My guess is Rittenhouse had no idea she was Bloodstone." Denise opened her mouth to ask another question, but he interrupted her. "I think Rittenhouse was there looking for something-"

"What 'something'?" Rufus blurted out. "And how would they have navigated through the place?"

Flynn gritted his teeth as he removed the envelope from his inside jacket pocket. He held it up for everyone to see. "One of them gave me this."

"What is that?" Agent Christopher asked. "And who gave it to you?"

"The man working with Rittenhouse," he explained. "The one who's been protecting Tenley-"

Lucy's head snapped up. "The one from the church?"

Flynn nodded, eyes drifting over to her briefly. He turned back to Christopher. "He said this was important and to make sure it doesn't fall into enemy hands."

"What is it?"

He shrugged again. "I thought it best to wait on opening it until we were all here."

Agent Christopher nodded, holding out her hand. "By all means."

Flynn's eyes darted to everyone in the infirmary before turning to the sealed envelope in his hands. He peeled the paper back, breaking the seal. Removing the folded paper from inside, he began to open it. His eyes darted about the page as he read silently to himself.

"Want to share with the rest of the class?" Wyatt groaned as he sat up on the exam table. Jiya helped him into a sling.

Flynn glanced at him, licking his lips. "It's a list."

"Of what?" Jiya asked.

"Names," he stated, looking up briefly. He turned back to the page and began reading, "Jack Logan. Bruno Hauptmann. Lillian Smith. Margaretha Zelle. Virginia Poe. Bram Stoker-" Flynn lowered the paper. "These are the names of the Bloodstone agents we've encountered!"

"Why would he give that to you?" Agent Christopher asked.

"An act of good faith, perhaps...or maybe he didn't know what was inside," Flynn admitted with a half shrug. What Flynn kept to himself was how it might have been the man's bargaining chip to ensure that Tenley left with him.

"But why, though? I mean, what good would it do now? We already know about these people," Rufus asked. "And since when do Rittenhouse agents help us?"

Flynn cocked his head slightly. "Perhaps, he isn't Rittenhouse."

"Hold the phone!" Rufus shouted, startling everyone. "You're saying he's Bloodstone?"

Flynn scanned the room of stunned faces that stared back at him. "We've seen weirder things…"

"But Bloodstone," Christopher began. "Has been pretty silent lately...why now?"

Jiya began to raise her hand. "How would Jack's name still be on that list? I mean, he's from the future, right? And he died in 1888-"

Mason smirked. "While that's true, there's nothing saying the list wasn't planted by someone who knows everything-"

Rufus pinched the bridge to his nose. "You're saying someone has known this whole time who we've been meeting and has been leaving us a trail of breadcrumbs?"

Again, Mason shrugged. "It's no different than Future us leaving clues-"

Everyone started clamoring at the details. Agent Christopher had to raise her hands, shouting over everyone to calm and quiet them. "This is all just speculation," she finally managed to say once they settled. "I think it makes sense to look over the list-"

"You're not taking this to Homeland Security, are you?" Mason gasped.

"Well-" Denise began.

"He's right," Rufus chimed in. "You can't take it to them. We don't know who is on our side-"

"I-" Denise tried to say.

Flynn spoke up this time. "He's right. You ran into trouble a couple of years ago, remember? We can't trust anyone outside of this bunker."

"Does that include Tenley?" Wyatt questioned.

Everyone turned to eye Wyatt. Lucy glared at him. Flynn's eyes bore into the wounded soldier. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying what we're all thinking," Wyatt began. "She's clearly compromised...she's living with Rittenhouse and who knows what they've been brainwashing her with!"

"I'd stop talking if I were you," Flynn warned, hands balling into fists at his sides, crinkling the paper he still held onto.

"You're seriously going to stand there and tell us that you think she's on our side?"

Rufus tried to step in between the two, hands raised in hopes of calming them down and avoiding an all-out fistfight. "Wyatt-"

"Come on, man," Wyatt replied. "You know I'm right."

"I wasn't thinking she was compromised," Rufus muttered, eyeing Flynn. "For what it's worth."

Flynn glared at Wyatt. He knew if he really wanted to, he could take the wounded man down easily. He chose not to because he had honor and the knowledge of knowing that nothing would change even if he did. Instead, he shook his head, tossing the page to the small table within the infirmary. "Fine. Think what you will. You're wrong though."

The others watched Flynn turn on his heel and storm out of the infirmary. Denise sighed, shaking her head. "Try to get some rest while you can."

~~~~

"What do you mean, 'you ran out of time'?" Carol asked, her heated stare boring into the members before her. She crossed her arms over her chest. "You had one simple task to do - and you couldn't even do that!" Emma opened her mouth to retort but Carol held her hand up, silencing her. "I don't want to hear any of your excuses, Emma." She sighed, dropping her hands to her side as she made her way to her desk. She placed her hands on the tabletop and lifted her gaze once more to the four standing before her. "I don't think any of you realize just how important those documents were!"

"Maybe if you told us what we were looking for," Emma began, tone of voice drawing an edge to it. "Before we jumped into a ticking time bomb of an era-"

Carol's lips twisted with anger. "You are not in charge here, Emma. You've gotten away with a lot over the years. Don't say something that will make you regret it."

For the first time since she had known Emma, Amy saw the red-headed woman almost fearful of what Carol's repercussions could be. Amy saw a subtle shift in the woman after that threat and realized just how afraid Emma was. She began to wonder if Emma's tough exterior was just an act to cover up her fear.

Carol pinched the bridge to her nose. "Get cleaned up. I'll call you when I have something to share."

The four members walked away from her. Amy's eyes lingered on Carol for a moment, wondering what was in the envelope that was so important to Rittenhouse. She kept her mouth closed on what had happened on the mission but knew she had to ask Rowan about it later.

Amy watched as Emma and the other Rittenhouse agent broke off from them to go their own way, leaving Rowan alone with her. She turned her gaze over to him, only to see his eyes were trained ahead. He hadn't looked at her since they fled the Winchester house. She wondered if he was angry with her for having spoken with Flynn.

She broke away from Rowan to enter her room. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw he didn't bother stopping or saying anything. She slipped into her room and once the door was closed, released a heavy sigh as she leaned against the door.

The conversation with Flynn echoed in her mind. He had asked her about Bloodstone - a group that up until now, she had no knowledge of. She had no idea how crazy things were regarding Rittenhouse and now, Bloodstone. The look on his face when he spoke about both of these groups had convinced her that something horrible was coming. He mentioned a war brewing between them and he was part of a group trying to stop them - and up until she disappeared, she was part of his group.

Amy sat down on the edge of her bed, closing her eyes as she rested her head in her hands. She took a couple of slow deep breaths in, trying to recall anything about what Flynn told her.

Her memory brought forth the feeling of his hands cupping her face, his lips on hers, and the comforting smell that surrounded him. She opened her eyes, blinking away the memory. She blew a quick burst of air from her lips before trying again, hoping to stay focused on the task at hand.

After a few attempts, Amy's head began to hurt. She sighed and laid down onto her bed, arm slung over her eyes. She was growing frustrated by not having remembered anything. She was desperate to understand what Flynn had told her - and why she mattered so much to this Bloodstone group or even Rittenhouse.

If anything, Flynn managed to confirm her suspicions on her name. She wasn't Amy. He told her about the real Amy and it broke her heart to think that Carol would be using the memory of Amy to manipulate Lucy. The fact that Carol would use Amy to manipulate anyone was enough to make her want to confront the woman.

"My name is Tenley," she whispered to herself. She sighed, rubbing her eyes with her palms.

A knock landed on her door, causing her to jump slightly. Her heart raced as she feared that someone had heard her admit to her real name. She swallowed her nerves, sitting up and staring at the door. Pausing, she listened for movement on the other side. When the knock landed again, she stood up and crossed the room to open the door slightly.

On the other side of the door stood Rowan. He tilted his head at her. She opened the door further, allowing him access inside. She closed the door behind him, turning to address him. "What's going on?"

He placed his hands on his hips and asked, "Are ye okay?"

Her eyes narrowed at him briefly. "I'm fine…"

He glanced down at his shoes before lifting his gaze back to her. "Did he hurt ye?"

Her brow furrowed. "Who? Flynn?" Rowan nodded and she shook her head. "Of course, he didn't hurt me...why would he?"

Rowan shrugged. "Ye ran off on yer own. I was worried about ye."

She held his stare and knew what he told her was the truth. She could see it plain as day behind his eyes. Finally, she asked the question that was weighing on her mind. "Why did you give him that envelope? What was inside?"

Rowan licked his lips, dropping his hands from his hips. "I made a decision-"

"What decision?"

"To save ye."

She cocked her head at him. "What does that mean?"

"I traded the information Rittenhouse was looking for, for ye."

She shook her head. "I'm confused," she started. "Did Flynn know what was inside the envelope?" Rowan shook his head and she asked, "Did you know what was inside?"

"I can take a guess," he replied. She stared at him expectantly, waiting for him to tell her. With a heavy sigh, he admitted, "We were sent to find information that would be detrimental for Rittenhouse, and I decided they couldn't have it."

"You just decided that did you?" she asked, crossing her arms.

He chuckled. "I had to make a choice...the information or ye."

"You know as well as I do that Flynn isn't our enemy-"

He nodded. "I know. It's why I entrusted him with that information."

"How do you know it was the information Rittenhouse needed? It seems like an awfully big risk-"

"If there is something I can do to bring down Rittenhouse, ye better believe that I will!"

Closing the distance between the two, she peered into his stormy blue eyes. "What have they done to you? What did they do that makes you hate them so?"

Rowan's angry expression softened as he gazed deep into her dark eyes. He placed his hands on her hips. "Rittenhouse is responsible for numerous deaths of innocents...they've shifted history in ways that I cannot even begin to explain…"

"How do you know all of this?"

"Do ye remember the mission ye went on with Quinn?" he asked. She nodded and he continued, "They were responsible for the accident that would have killed Lucy."

"You're certain it would have killed her?" she questioned.

He gave her a curt nod. "Lucy is important to the cause. She cannot die by their hand."

She licked her lips and asked, "What about Amy?"

He didn't blink at the question. "Carol purposely removed Amy from existence."

"Why would she do such a thing?" she gasped.

His eyes remained locked with hers. "To get to Lucy... and ye."

"But why? I don't understand-"

"Ye will," he whispered. She opened her mouth to ask a question but he already knew before she could. "Soon."

She studied his face for a moment, searching for any signs that what he was telling her was anything but the truth. Her heart ached as she realized that he meant every word.

Rowan's eyes drifted across her face, towards her lips, and lingered there for a moment. His lips parted as he thought about kissing her.

However, he never got the chance as another knock landed on her door. The two glanced at the closed door, stepping away from one another quickly. She crossed the room and opened it slightly. She opened it further, allowing the person on the other side entrance.

Rowan's eyes widened slightly as he watched Quinn walk in. The two glanced at each other, questions silently forming on their expression but neither spoke up.

Amy turned to look at the pair once the door was closed. She glanced between the two, watching them for a moment. Then she found herself staring at Quinn. This was the first time in quite a while that she had seen him. It was also the first time she had seen him outside his infirmary room since their mission. His face had fresh scars on his cheeks from his attack. His dark eyes were intense as he stared back at her. She asked, "What's going on?"

Quinn's intense stare made her uncomfortable and she had no way of understanding why. He had been there for her since the beginning, yet there was a red flag being waved on the inside of her mind.

Quinn never looked away from Rowan. "We have a mission."

"We?" Rowan repeated.

Quinn nodded. "The three of us, plus Bentley."

"What about Emma?" Amy asked. "Is she not going?"

Quinn finally turned to face her. "She's being called away on other business."

"What business is that?" Rowan questioned. "Carol never keeps Emma from these missions-"

"I told her to leave her behind for this one," Quinn stated. He glanced between the two and asked, "Shall we get moving?"

"What's the mission?" Amy asked. "You haven't told us that yet."

"Ye'll know," he began. "In good and perfect time."

Amy's eyes darted over to Rowan. He could see her uneasiness behind her dark eyes and gave her a reassuring smile. The same unease reflected back to Amy from Rowan's expression. It scared her to think that if Rowan was worried about his brother, then something was really wrong.

Quinn's dark eyes bounced between the two as he straightened. "Let's go. We're late."

"For what?" Amy asked.

Quinn gave her a half-smile. "Tea."


	36. Time's Scar

Jiya's fast typing echoed within the main living area as she scanned the screen. "They've jumped to Steventon, Hampshire, April 4, 1795."

Lucy said, "This is the time of the French Revolutionary War. Not to mention, a lot of movement within the royal families and-"

"Another war?" Rufus groaned.

"And you'll be down a soldier," Agent Christopher stated, giving a side glance toward Wyatt. "So, be careful."

Wyatt glared at the woman. "What?! You're benching me?"

"You've been shot, Wyatt," Denise began. "Do I seriously need to remind you of that?"

"It's a graze-"

"We can handle it," Flynn tried to say.

Wyatt turned his ire onto Flynn. "I'm not letting you go by yourselves!"

"You don't have a say in the matter," Agent Christopher told him. "Your job is to follow orders. Your orders are to stay and recover."

Gritting his teeth, Wyatt nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Lucy placed her hand on Wyatt's shoulder, offering a small smile as she brushed by him to head to the Lifeboat. He watched with anger flashing behind his eyes as the three climbed into the Lifeboat. His hand balled into a fist and his nails dug into his palm.

The hatch closed and locked. The machine whirred to life and those left behind in the bunker felt the burst of cold wind whip around them as the machine disappeared.

1795

The Lifeboat landed in a large field with a couple of trees nearby. On both sides of the outer rim of the field were dense forests of tall trees. Birds were flying overhead in clear blue skies. The air was chilly and had a subtle hint of blooms on the wind.

As the hatch opened, the team emerged, squinting as the bright morning sun shined in their eyes. Once on solid ground, the team glanced about, seeing nothing but rolling hills of grass and trees.

"Which way do you think?" Rufus asked, using his hand as a visor to see.

Before anyone had a chance to respond, they watched as a familiar machine burst into view only a few feet away from them. They felt the cold wind blow over them as the machine came to rest, whirring to a stop.

The three stared in awe and wonder. Rufus's brows were knitted together as he pointed. "Uh, guys? That's our Lifeboat…" He turned to glance over his shoulder. He studied the machine sitting behind them and turned back to the one in front of them. Instantly, he saw differences.

The Lifeboat before them had more damage to its hull. The painting had been changed, the dents were bigger, numerous scratches laced the metal in ways that almost physically pained him to see. Even the window in the hatch had been blacked out. Rufus barely recognized it.

As the hatch slowly opened, the three stood there with bated breaths, waiting to see who would emerge from within. Climbing out of this beat-up Lifeboat was a figure wearing a long cloak that had been stitched together with scraps. Once they were out of the machine, they stood up, allowing the hood of the cloak to fall to their shoulders.

Rufus stared at the person before them. "Jiya?"

An older looking Jiya stood before them, smiling warmly at the three. Her dark locks were streaked with silver strands of hair, braided loosely over her left shoulder. Her tired dark eyes now showed the wear and tear of time, wrinkles lining the corners. She even had a facial scar right above the corner of her mouth on the left. that wasn't there the last time Rufus had seen her.

"Jiya?" Lucy repeated, unable to blink.

Future Jiya chuckled. "I know that I'm not exactly the same as you remember me…"

"What…" Rufus tried to ask, motioning to her lip.

She waved the remark aside. "Accidents happen."

"Why are you here?" Rufus asked. He shifted in his place after hearing himself. The heat rose in his cheeks as he realized how rude he sounded.

Jiya licked her lips, trying to hold back a sarcastic retort. Instead of shaming him, she dropped her head slightly before saying, "I came to warn you."

"Warn us?" Flynn finally spoke. "About what?"

Beeping echoed from within Jiya's Lifeboat. She glanced over her shoulder briefly. Turning her gaze back to the three, she said, "I don't have much time." She started to head back to the machine. "This is where it all begins…"

"Where what all begins?" Lucy asked.

Jiya climbed into the machine, turning to peer out of the hatch down to the others. "There's nothing to fear here," she told them. "Remember that before you do something you'll regret." Her dark eyes turned back to Rufus. "I wish I could stay but-"

The beeping increased on the inside. Jiya sighed, pulling something from her pocket. "Here," she said, tossing something toward Rufus. "You'll probably thank me for that later…"

Rufus caught the item with ease, his eyes darting down to see what it was. In his hand was a pen with the transmitter light that they had been struggling to fix since the Britannic. His gaze shot up to meet Jiya. "How did you-"

"You needed the help," she said. "So, I answered the call." The beeping grew rapidly. "I have to go."

"Wait! What about Rittenhouse?" Rufus called after her.

As the hatch slowly started to close, Jiya shouted back, "Don't panic. Let things run its course!"

The trio saw the hatch close and lock. They stepped backward, allowing the machine to disappear from view. They exchanged glances with one another. Rufus turned to the transmitter and watched as the light flickered off in his hand.

"What was that all about?" Rufus asked, finally looking at the others.

Flynn's brows were drawn together as he glanced between the two. His mind raced with Jiya's warnings echoing loudly within his head. He didn't know what she meant but whatever it was, it was important enough for her to show up immediately after they arrived.

Rufus looked at Lucy. "What happens here that could be a problem for us?"

Lucy shook her head, words stuck as she tried to speak. She sighed heavily. "I don't know...I don't think there was much...I mean, look around!" She motioned to the empty rolling plains and trees surrounding them. "We're far off into the countryside."

Flynn remained silent as he mulled over the information they had. There had been a nagging voice in his mind over their location. He pinched the bridge to his nose, trying to force the answer to reveal itself.

"Hey!" Rufus called out to Flynn, who glanced up to see Rufus and Lucy walking away. "We're heading that way."

Flynn sighed as he trudged behind the two. Seeing how they were in the middle of nowhere, he knew he'd have plenty of time to try and coax an answer forward. It was eating away at him, knowing he knew what was there on the tip of his tongue, but for whatever reason, it was escaping him.

The walk into the small town of Steventon took much longer than the three had anticipated. Securing clothes had proven to be quite the endeavor as there didn't seem to be an easy way to go about it. The town was sparse. Lucy had explained just how far off into the countryside they were. In the present time, the population of this town was roughly 250. In the here and now, it was mostly farmers and simpletons going about a slower way of life. They didn't have much nor did they need much. They were considered off the grid for only being 7 miles from the nearest city.

When they managed to find some extra clothes, Lucy struggled to get into the dress by herself. Eventually, she managed to do a haphazard job of it. Stepping around the corner, she spotted Rufus and Flynn dressed in the suits of the time. Her mouth parted as she took them in - they looked sharp. Lucy couldn't help but smile as she recalled the romanticism that came from this era.

Rufus pulled at his collar. "This is ridiculous. How did anyone manage to move in these things?"

"Speak for yourself," Lucy retorted. "I had to struggle with three layers!" She readjusted her hat, tying it into a bow beneath her chin.

Rufus moaned, "It's like the Merry Men all over again with these tights." Flynn shot him an annoyed look, clearly in agreement.

Lucy smiled at the memory. "Well, believe it or not, this is a romantic era. I bet even Jiya enjoyed some Jane Austen from time to time."

Flynn's head snapped up at the comment. "Austen?"

Lucy's eyes darted up to meet Flynn's. The moment they locked eyes with one another, the realization of her words hit her like a ton of bricks. "You don't think...Oh," she paused to place her hand on her cheek, "I should have known…"

"Can someone fill me in?" Rufus asked. His eyes bounced between the two, feeling left out as it was obvious they knew what was here. "Austen? Like the capital of Texas?"

Lucy turned to him. "Jane Austen grew up here. She wrote most of her novels here...I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner."

"What would Rittenhouse want with Jane Austen?" Rufus asked. "Mr. Darcy?"

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Mr. Darcy is just a fictional character…" Her words drifted off as she found herself staring at Flynn. He wore a similar outfit that Mr. Darcy had been described to be wearing in the book, Pride and Prejudice. She stifled her laughter at the thought.

"Maybe Jane is just like Sarah Winchester," Rufus mumbled under his breath. His head lifted as he asked, "Do you think she's Bloodstone?"

Flynn shook his head. "Her name wasn't on the list."

Rufus cocked his head slightly. "I still don't know if we should be trusting that list…"

Lucy shrugged as she admitted, "Maybe but it was pretty accurate."

The trip continued to head into the quaint town. There was a beautiful stone church in the center of town with a tall bluish-gray steeple. Just outside of the church was a modest cemetery. The grounds were well kept. There was even a small lime tree growing in the front yard of the church and the wind would occasionally bring the scent of lime into their noses.

As they passed by the church, the bells sounded, filling the air with their majestic chimes. The heavy wooden doors to the church swung open and people began to filter out, thanking the clergyman for the service.

Flynn watched the residents of Steventon as they headed home. None of them seemed to be bothered by their presence. Even as he stared back at them, they smiled politely as they walked away. His eyes scanned the crowds that came from the church, hoping to spot a familiar face but he was disappointed when the last of the people stepped outside.

"I don't know about you guys," Rufus began. "But I didn't see anyone who looked like Rittenhouse or Bloodstone in that group."

Flynn nodded briefly in silent agreement. Lucy's lips were twisted as they usually were when she was deep in thought. Her dark eyes were glued to the clergyman. "We should speak with him," she suggested.

Rufus opened his mouth to suggest a counteroffer, but Lucy had already marched herself toward the church. Flynn exchanged glances with Rufus before silently following Lucy; he could even hear the faint grumblings of Rufus behind him as the man followed along.

The three stepped inside the empty church. The clergyman was already hard at work, cleaning the inside. The sounds of the three entering the church had caused him to glance up at their approach. "Hello," he said, setting his broom aside. "I was not aware of visitors."

Lucy smiled at the man. "I'm so sorry to disturb you," she began, "We're new here and we were hoping to ask about the area."

"New, eh?" he replied. "Have you come to stay then?"

"Oh no," she said quickly. "I simply meant we are passing through." When she saw the knowing smile from the man, she laughed softly, adding, "Which you knew because of our accent…"

He bowed slightly. "I did," he admitted. "You must have traveled quite a distance as I'm not entirely sure I've heard an accent quite like yours."

"Quite a distance," she repeated, a smile on her expression.

The man placed his hand on his chest. "Forgive my manners. I am Reverend Austen. George, if you please."

Lucy's mouth fell open. "Mr. Austen, sir," she said, voice nearly a whisper. "I…" she wanted to tell him that it was an honor to meet him but given his lifestyle, it wouldn't have been taken the way she intended it. Instead, she cleared her throat. "I'm Lucy. This is Rufus and Flynn."

George smiled at them, bowing his head slightly as the introductions were made. "My family was here a moment prior for services but have since gone home." He began to move about the church, cleaning once more. "You said you were passing through? What brought you to our little corner of the country?"

"I'm an author," Lucy interjected quickly. She grimaced slightly at the comment, fearing the outcome of her lie. The Reverend blinked at her, wide-eyed. She cleared her throat and continued, "I've been writing about small towns and wanted some first-hand inspiration."

George simply chuckled. "You've certainly come to the right place," he said. "My daughter also loves to write stories. She's rather good but hasn't quite earned a publication yet."

"I'm sure she will someday," Lucy replied with a wide knowing smile.

"Would you care to meet my family?" he asked. "I am sure my Jane would love to shower you with questions on the matter."

Lucy's expression beamed at the thought. "I would love to!"

Rufus and Flynn suppressed the urge to roll their eyes or retort on why they couldn't join the man for dinner. Lucy had completely taken control of the situation and between the two men, they felt helpless to stop her.

The three followed Reverend Austen to his three-story brick home. Trees were surrounding the house and a circular bench around the trunk of the massive oak tree that grew nearby. The shudders on the house were open. Behind the house was a small farm. George had explained that in addition to his work as the local clergyman, he maintained the small farm and housed 4-5 young men that he schooled regularly. It earned him a decent income for the time. The three saw how proud he was of his work.

"Do you have students now?" Lucy inquired.

"Oh, no," George said. "Not until the next season. For now, it's simply family."

George opened the front door to his home and was immediately greeted by his wife. She kissed him promptly on the cheek, her eyes drifting over his shoulder to see the company he had brought. "Oh, I hadn't realized you would be bringing guests," she said. "I'm afraid I haven't set any extra places at the table."

"Please," Lucy began. "There's no need fo-"

George looked at his wife. "Perhaps you should set out some more cups for tea. We shall be in the sitting room." His wife nodded and rushed off to fulfill the request of her husband. He turned to the three, motioning with his hand. "Please, make yourselves comfortable."

As the team sat down across from George, several pairs of footsteps echoed down the stairs in the hallway. Glancing up, the group was met with a pair of bright brown eyes staring back at them. Keeping the times in mind, Flynn and Rufus stood up along with George upon the two girls' entrance.

Lucy couldn't contain her excitement as she stared back at the young women, one in the pale pink dress, the other wearing a dark blue one. She knew instantly the one in pink was the soon-to-be-famous author, Jane Austen.

"Ah, Cassandra! Jane!" George called out to her, a happy smile on his face "Come in, please. Allow me to introduce you to some visitors." He turned to the three. "May I introduce my daughters, Cassandra and Jane. Jane is the author of the family." He smiled proudly at her before turning to the others. "May I present, Miss Lucy, Mr. Rufus, and Mr. Flynn."

The girls gave a quick curtsey. "How do you do?"

"Miss Lucy is also an author-"

"Truly?" Jane asked, her voice growing excited. "Have you published?"

Lucy couldn't contain her smile. Flynn and Rufus exchanged glances, knowing what the next several hours would be. Lucy nodded. "I have, a little," she replied.

Jane clasped her hands together with excitement. "Would I be imposing too much to ask you some questions?"

Lucy shook her head. "I'd be happy to help."

Jane reached out her hand, which Lucy took, and the two left the room in a hurry, with Jane in the lead, tugging Lucy behind her as they stomped up the stairs. Cassandra watched as they bounded up the stairs, giggling slightly under her breath.

Flynn gritted his teeth as he watched them go. Rufus sighed, sitting back down on the small sofa, next to Cassandra. George turned his attention to the two men. "Now then," he began. "What brings you all this way?"


	37. Will Against Will

Amy stood next to Rowan as they watched Quinn and Bentley march along the empty dirt road before them. She noticed Quinn continued checking his watch. She pulled herself closer to Rowan and asked, "What's he doing?"

Rowan shook his head. "I haven't the faintest idea."

"Should we be worried?"

He turned to look at her. "I won't let anything happen to ye."

She nodded. "I know, I do...but…" Her dark eyes drifted back to the two before them. "Something just doesn't seem quite right."

Rowan agreed, "I know. I feel it too."

Amy scanned the surrounding area. They were walking on a lonely country road with no buildings in sight. The large fields of rolling grass sat on one side of them, while dense woods grew on the opposite. She glanced over her shoulder but found no one else on the road. She turned her gaze back to Rowan. "Where are we?"

Before Rowan had a chance to answer, the two heard the sound of a gun firing. Instinctively, Rowan pulled Amy behind him, shielding her from any potential harm. His eyes locked onto his brother and Bentley further up the road.

Bentley was splayed out on the road, no longer moving. Quinn had his gun pointed down at the lifeless man. Rowan's brows knitted together, mouth falling agape. "Quinn! What are ye doing?"

Quinn holstered his gun, casually glancing over to the two. He motioned for them to approach him, eyes turning back to the dead man on the road.

Amy gripped the back of Rowan's coat tightly. "What...why…"

Rowan reached around, grabbing her hand, slowly approaching his brother. "Quinn...what did ye do?"

Quinn motioned to Bentley. "We need to move him off the road."

"Ye killed him," Rowan stated.

"Yes," Quinn started. "I'm well aware of that."

"Why?"

"We don't have time for this squabble," Quinn remarked. "We are running late-"

"No," Rowan growled. "We're not going with ye until ye tell us what is going on!"

Quinn placed his hands on his hips, sighing heavily as he turned to face the two. "He was one of the ones who attacked me that night in 2002."

"You're certain?" Amy asked, still cowering behind Rowan.

Quinn nodded. "There were several Rittenhouse agents that night," he explained. "I caught a glimpse of him - he was older than he is now but..." He turned his darkening gaze over to the two. "I saw his tattoo on his wrist before he slashed my face… A tattoo of a snake, marked with the initials of Rittenhouse."

Rowan released Amy's hand, bending down to examine the body of Bentley. As he tugged at the dead man's sleeve, he spotted a tattoo in bronze and silver ink - a semi-coiled snake with RH underneath the head. He glanced up at Quinn and noticed he had turned his back to Rowan, almost proving a point that he wasn't looking at the image.

Amy looked at Rowan, her eyes drifting to the tattoo on Bentley's wrist. Her mouth fell agape as she turned her gaze over to Quinn. Rowan stood up, placing himself between his brother and Amy.

Quinn raised an eyebrow as he studied his brother. "I took out only one of these men who attacked me - attacked us!" he spat, motioning over to Amy. "I did what needed to be done!"

Rowan watched his brother carefully. "What does Rittenhouse want with her?"

Quinn's eyes darted over Rowan's shoulder to Amy. "We all know she's not Amy, so let's drop the pretense. Carol hoped to use her against the others - which is something we cannot allow to happen-"

"What would Carol accomplish by using her against them?" Rowan asked. "Why is she so special to Rittenhouse?"

Quinn blew a heavy sigh from his lips. "I'll tell ye everything I know but first, let's get rid of his body."

Despite his better judgment, Rowan did as asked by his younger brother. He helped him pull the dead Rittenhouse agent off to the side of the road and into the woods, covering him with the flora that grew thick.

Once the two returned to the road, brushing their hands off, Rowan turned his gaze back to his brother. "Start talking."

Quinn's jaw tensed. "I wasn't lying to ye when I said he was from the future - a future in which Rittenhouse is domineering everyone-"

"How do ye know this?" Rowan asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Quinn sighed. "Because I was told as much."

"By whom?"

Quinn's eyes darted over to Amy. "One of her friends came to my aid in the forest that day...unfortunately for me, a little too late."

"One of my friends?" she repeated. "What are you talking about?"

"Does the name Jiya ring a bell?" he asked.

Amy cocked her head to the side, thinking hard about the name. Somewhere deep in the dark recesses of her mind, there was a twinge of familiarity but her head started hurting the longer she dwelled on the name.

Quinn waved the remark aside. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that ye understand just how bad the future will become if Rittenhouse is allowed to continue."

Rowan's brows furrowed. "What about Bloodstone?" he asked. "Who are they?"

Quinn lifted his gaze to meet Rowan's. "Ye'll know that soon enough. Unfortunately, we're running out of time." He motioned behind Rowan with his head.

Rowan and Amy turned to see a horse-drawn carriage approaching them down the lane. The two glanced at each other, wondering what to do.

As the carriage slowed to a stop, the driver glanced down at them. "Do you need an assist?"

Quinn brushed by Rowan and Amy. "We do, kind sir."

"The coach is empty," the man said. "I am heading into Steventon."

"Wonderful," Quinn replied. "That is where we are heading as well."

Amy's brow furrowed as she glanced over to Rowan. "What are we doing?" He shook his head, placing his hand on her lower back as he guided her to the coach. Quinn had already opened the door, holding it open for the others.

The three climbed into the carriage. Once the door closed, Quinn pounded his hand on the outside of the door, signaling to the driver to move on. The horse kicked into movement and the coach started to sway along the dirt road as they headed down the avenue.

Rowan asked, "What else aren't ye telling us?"

Quinn held his brother's stare. "We're here to right some wrongs."

"What does that mean?" Amy asked.

"It's a surprise-"

"Don't do that," Rowan told him. "Ye don't get to play coy-"

Quinn chuckled. "Actually, I do because I know why we're here."

"What does Rittenhouse want -"

"This was never a Rittenhouse mission," Quinn stated. His eyes drifting over to Amy. "We're here to drop Tenley off."

She blinked at him. "What did you say?" Quinn opened his mouth to answer but she cut him off. "How do you know my name?"

He smiled at her. "I've known for some time," he told her. "I've known since we found ye in the rubble back in 1942."

"You've known this whole time and you've never told me the truth?" she spat.

"We had to keep the facade up," Quinn replied. "We couldn't let Carol and the others realize we knew the truth - especially ye. If ye knew, they would have killed ye. I couldn't let that happen."

She stared at him. "What do you want with me?"

"Ye've done so much already," he said. "And ye'll know soon."

"You keep saying that," she pointed out. "I'm tired of the lies-"

"I have yet to lie to ye," he told her.

The carriage began to slow as they entered the town of Steventon. The town was quiet and peaceful. As Amy stared out the window, she felt her nerves wash away. There was a tranquility that settled over her. She wasn't sure when the last time she felt this way was. She felt Rowan's hand settle over hers, bringing her attention back to the man sitting next to her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Quinn's heated gaze on the two of them. She forced herself to keep from looking at him. She felt that feeling of ease disappear.

The coach stopped and the driver hopped down from the seat. He opened the door, allowing the occupants to climb out. Quinn turned to the man and began thanking him for the ride.

Rowan tugged Amy off to the side. "Are ye okay?"

She shook her head slightly. "He's scaring me."

Rowan nodded. "I know. Stick with me."

Quinn meandered up to them. He glanced between the two and asked, "Everything all right?" The two simply nodded and he glared at them, almost knowing they weren't telling the truth. He added, "I know ye think I'm the enemy but I promise ye, things will make sense soon."

"Ye keep saying 'soon', brother," Rowan told him. "Don't ye think she deserves the full truth from ye?"

Quinn's smile widened. "Soon."

"Where are we going?" she asked as they fell in step with him. "Where are you taking us?"

Quinn stared at her. "To have tea." He glanced at his watch. "We're late."

Cassandra spent much of her time speaking to Rufus in hushed whispers. She'd giggle occasionally and Flynn's attentions would dart over to the two. He studied them carefully, almost stunned to see the interaction. He could have sworn it wasn't socially acceptable to do so at this time but he wasn't the historian.

A voice cleared behind him, causing him to turn around. His eyes lowered to meet the amused expression of Jane Austen staring up at him. "Your friend seems to be enjoying the company." Flynn nodded and Jane added, "She's handsome, don't you agree?"

Flynn straightened as he replied without thinking, "She is, though not so handsome as to tempt me."

Jane's eyebrows shot up, almost stunned by his words. "Excuse me, I have something to attend to." Flynn watched as she quickly walked away, fiddling with a stack of papers, and scribbling something down.

George's wife entered the sitting room, setting down the tray for tea onto the table. She began pouring the hot liquid into their best china.

As Flynn, Rufus, and Lucy sat down in the sitting room for tea in the Austen residence, George turned to Jane. "Perhaps our guests would enjoy hearing some of your work?"

Jane smiled, eyes darting over to the three. "Would you?" She picked up the stack of papers she had been scribbling in moments earlier and brought them over. She glanced at the three guests and stated, "I have not finished it but I believe I am getting closer."

George turned to the three. "We find that it helps her inspiration to read it aloud. Sometimes we can guide her in a direction from an audience's point of view."

"Of course," Lucy chimed in. "It's always lovely having someone's opinions."

Jane's smile beamed as she shuffled her pages around in her hands. "I have not decided on a title yet but it's called First Impressions."

Before Jane had a chance to read from her pages, there was a heavy knock on the door. George and his wife exchanged glances. George stood up. "I wonder who could be at our door."

The time team glanced at one another, concern washing over their expressions. Flynn stood up from his seat, crossing the room in quick succession. He neared the door of the sitting room but never got to peer around the corner before George returned with three others behind him.

George's eyes darted over to Flynn. "They said they were friends of yours."

The time team stood up, eyes locking onto the three standing behind George. None of them recognized the man in the front with deep facial scars along his cheeks but they immediately knew the two standing behind the man - the blond man from Rittenhouse and Tenley.

The man in the front looked between the team. "Perhaps we should discuss this outside and let these good people return to their tea?"

Flynn's jaw tensed as he stared back at the man. He forced himself to look over to Rowan and Tenley. He wasn't sure what had happened but the moment he saw the fear behind Tenley's eyes, he knew this man was not to be trifled with. He nodded. "I believe that's a good plan."

Lucy opened her mouth to retort but realized how dangerous it would be should things escalate within the Austen household. She set her china down gently onto the small table. "Thank you for allowing us to enter your home today, Mr. Austen."

George smiled warmly at her, grasping her hands in his. "It was our pleasure." His eyes darted quickly to the newcomers and he asked softly, "Should I bring the guard?"

Lucy shook her head. "It's okay. We know them. We'll take them away from here so they are no longer a problem."

George nodded, squeezing her hands gently before releasing her. Rufus nodded to the man and smiled at Cassandra before taking Lucy's hand she held out for him. They followed Flynn, who in turn, followed the three out of the house.


	38. Epoch

The apparent leader of the other group led them through the small town of Steventon, down the lane, and back into the large field where the Lifeboat and Mothership sat. Rufus muttered, "Can you explain to me how he knew where we parked?"

The leader called over his shoulder, "There's a lot that we know about ye, Rufus." He glanced over his shoulder to study the pilot. "That's why we are here." He stood and turned around. "I don't want any trouble-"

"Then what do you want?" Flynn growled. His body grew tense, nerves hyper-aware of the growing situation. He was on guard and prepared to defend the group if need be.

The man smirked. "Allow me to introduce myself," he began. "My name is Quinn. Ye've already met my brother, Rowan...and ye already know Tenley."

"You know her name?" Lucy asked, choking back tears.

"We've known since we found her that her name wasn't Amy," Quinn explained. "But we had to keep up the pretense."

"Why?" Flynn asked. "Why would you make her believe she was someone else?"

Quinn laughed. "It was Carol who did this, not me." He shrugged. "We've been feeding her bits of the truth throughout her stay…" He glanced over to Tenley. "The book Rowan gave ye?"

Tenley blinked at him, turning to look at Rowan, mouth agape. She remembered seeing the artistic renditions of the 'midwife' who delivered Frederick Douglass and thought it looked like her. It started to make sense.

Quinn turned back to Lucy. "Tell me, Lucy," he started. "Do ye remember that night on the river?"

Lucy's brows knitted together at his words. Then realization washed over her as her eyes bounced back to Tenley. "You-"

"Yer mother ordered the hit on yer life," Quinn told her. "We stopped that from happening." He motioned between Tenley and himself.

"Why would she-" Rufus began.

Quinn turned to Rufus. "Have ye ever wondered why none of ye future selves had anything to say when they came to ye aid?"

Rufus shook his head. "No...please...tell me that it's not true…"

Quinn smiled. "Ye were working with us."

"I don't even know who you are!" Rufus shouted back.

Quinn laughed. "Ye will. In good and perfect time."

Flynn's brows drew together at the phrase. It wasn't the first time he heard it. His mind raced as he realized that every time he had heard it, it came from Bloodstone agents.

Quinn motioned to the other two. "As a show of good faith, I'm returning what ye lost."

"What?" Lucy gasped, eyes darting over to Tenley, who seemed equally as confused.

"She belongs with ye, not us...though...she's been quite useful to us," Quinn admitted. He studied the group for a moment before saying, "Now, I hate to run from this little soiree but… I have business to attend to."

Rowan watched Quinn make his way toward the Mothership. He started to go after him. "Wait! What do ye think yer doing?"

"Leaving," Quinn replied. He glanced over his shoulder and warned, "If I were ye, big brother, I'd stay back."

"I'm coming with ye," Rowan told him.

Quinn shook his head. "No, yer not. Not this trip."

Rowan reached out, whirling his brother around. "Wait a damned minute-"

The second Quinn spun around, he had his gun out before him. He pulled the trigger and the bullet struck Rowan in the side. Rowan grasped his left side, sinking to his knees as he grimaced in agony. He lifted his blue eyes to meet the dark ones of Quinn.

"Yer to stay here for now," Quinn told him. "Have some faith that I know what I'm doing. Ye'll see me again sooner than ye know."

Tenley cried out as she watched Rowan get shot. She rushed forward but Flynn grabbed her, keeping her from getting too close to Quinn while he still held his gun. The moment Quinn crawled into the Mothership and the door locked securely closed, Flynn released her.

The Mothership disappeared from view, leaving everyone in a state of shock as they stared at the empty void where the machine used to sit.

Tenley rushed over to Rowan. "Oh my God...are you okay?"

Rowan groaned as she immediately began working on his wound. "I've been better…"

She set to work on him. He watched her carefully. He whispered, "I'm sorry…"

"You don't have anything to be sorry for," she tried to say.

He shook his head. "I have everything to be sorry for." She finally met his gaze as he said, "I lied to ye. I should have told ye who ye were...I shouldn't have kept ye away from where ye were meant to be-"

"Stop," she replied. "You did what you had to, to keep us both safe." She ripped a section of her dress off from the bottom hem, wrapping it around his wounded torso. "I don't blame you for what you had to do…" her voice trailed off as she whispered, "I am sorry that you lost your brother."

Rowan chuckled slightly. "Sometimes I wonder if I lost him a long time ago…"

She lifted her gaze, offering him a sad smile. She had no other words to offer him. She knew what he meant though. Quinn had been the one to find her in the rubble when all of this began. He had been the one to protect her and guide her toward the truth regarding who she was and even Rittenhouse. But she had also seen his personality shift and change over his recovery in the infirmary. He wasn't the same man she knew from the beginning.

Footsteps neared the two. Flynn asked, "Do you know what he is planning?"

Rowan shook his head as he lifted his gaze to meet Flynn's. "I don't...If I did, I swear, I'd tell ye."

Flynn glared at the man before him. He wasn't convinced that he was telling the truth. He narrowed his eyes at Rowan.

"I swear to ye," Rowan told him. "I know ye don't believe me, and I don't blame ye for doubting me…"

Tenley glanced up at the looming Flynn. She pleaded silently with him to be understanding, to believe Rowan. He could see the message behind her eyes. He sighed, letting his head fall slightly.

"What will you do?" Lucy asked. "Where will you go?"

Rowan hissed as Tenley finished wrapping up his wound. He groaned, "I don't know. I guess I'll find a small homestead here."

Tenley froze as his words came out. She blinked at him, stunned by his plan. She glanced up at the others briefly before returning to him. "You should come with us."

"I don't think I'd be very welcome," he told her, side-glancing at Flynn.

Tenley glanced up at the three again. "He can't stay here."

"He can't come with us," Rufus began. He turned his gaze quickly to Rowan and added, "No offense." Rowan waved the remark aside, showing he wasn't upset. Rufus continued, "He's the enemy!" He turned back to Rowan, adding, "No offense."

Flynn rolled his eyes at Rufus as he turned back to Tenley. "He was part of Rittenhouse. Who knows what he's really here to do-"

"What he's really here to do?" she repeated. "He's been shot! By his own brother! Why would he do that?"

"Throw us off the trail?" Rufus muttered.

Flynn sighed. "I'm sorry if that upsets you, but we don't know what Rittenhouse is planning. We don't know-"

"Uh, guys?" Rufus interrupted. When the others turned to look at him, they saw the pen transmitter in his hand, outstretched to show them. "We've got company…"

No sooner did Rufus utter those words, did a new machine land nearby. The group's brows furrowed as they looked at it. It looked like the Mothership but it was black with orange lights illuminating the front.

Rufus said, "I've got a bad feeling about this…"

The door to the evil-looking Mothership opened. A man stepped out and stood before the group. He was an older man, salt and peppered hair slicked back. His dark eyes locked onto them as his lips curved into a sly smile. It was then, they noticed the deep facial scars on his cheeks. Rowan and Tenley blinked at him before they realized who they were staring at.

"Quinn?" Tenley gasped.

Quinn smiled at her. "The same...well...older anyways…" He turned his gaze back to the others. "Don't look so surprised. I told ye, ye'd see me again."

Before the team had a chance to ask any questions, let alone react to the man's sudden appearance, another figure emerged from the machine. The smaller frame was wrapped up in a cloak, face hidden behind the hood. The party stared at the newcomer.

Quinn smiled. "I know ye have lots of questions-"

"Who's your friend?" Rufus blurted out. He didn't intend to interrupt the man but it just tumbled out before he could stop himself. His heart was racing as he stared at the cloaked person. He feared the answer to his question but something told him it was important to know.

Quinn's smile never faltered as he motioned to his companion standing next to him. "I believe ye already know."

The person moved the hood away from their face, letting it fall to their shoulders. The party gasped as they were staring Future Jiya in the face.

"Jiya?" Rufus gasped, his voice shaking. "What are you… Are you hurt? Are you being held against your will?"

She offered him a small smile. "I'm here on my own choosing, Rufus-"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I don't believe that...You're his prisoner-"

Quinn turned his gaze to Rufus. "Come now, Rufus. She's fine. She's alive, which is more than I can say for what would have happened to her had I not rescued her."

"You rescued her?" Rufus stammered, eyes bouncing between them.

Jiya sighed, offering a sympathetic smile. "We can't have this discussion right now…"

"Why the hell not?" he shouted at her.

"Because we don't have the time!" Jiya told him. "Please, just listen to him."

Quinn waited patiently as the group slowly quieted down, turning their attention over to him. He said, "The war between Rittenhouse and Bloodstone is raging in the future. Right now, we're holding the high ground-"

"We?" Lucy asked.

Quinn nodded. "Bloodstone."

"Ye're Bloodstone?" Rowan gasped.

Quinn nodded. "I couldn't tell ye about the uprising in more detail. We couldn't let the word out so soon. There were moles within Rittenhouse, working together to bring her down."

"I thought Carol was the founder of Bloodstone?" Rufus recalled.

"We had to tell ye something now, didn't we?" Quinn chuckled. "She had talked about starting up a different organization on the off chance Emma seized control over Rittenhouse-"

"Where is she now?" Lucy asked.

"Still in command of Rittenhouse as far as I know," Quinn admitted.

Jiya added, "Bloodstone is from the future. It's why we've only ever seen one group or the other this whole time - why Emma would disappear from the mission while Bloodstone agents still roamed the past."

Quinn side-glanced Jiya before continuing, "Carol is the least of yer concerns."

"Then what is our concern?" Flynn asked. "You?"

Quinn grinned. "I could be, however, ye need allies in this war. I can provide that for ye, as long as ye don't muck things up."

"What are you talking about?" Rufus asked. "How are we mucking things up? You're the one taking people from history!"

Beeping from within the new Mothership echoed behind them. Jiya nodded and turned back to the machine, climbing inside. Quinn turned to the rest of them. "Well, this has been fun, but our time is up."

"What? You can't just leave-"

"Actually, I can," Quinn stated. "I told ye we didn't have much time. Ye chose to waste it. We have to go but this won't be the last time ye see us." He turned to Rowan. "It's time to go."

Rowan held his brother's stare. "Why would I go with ye?"

"Because I needed to come back to ye," Quinn said. "I've told ye before, everything will make sense to ye in-"

"In good and perfect time, aye," Rowan quoted. "I just don't know why ye left me here to begin with."

"Well," Quinn started. "Originally, I left ye here and ye had a happy life on a farm with some lovely lady. I'm bringing ye with me this time to avoid premature death by Rittenhouse. Now, it's yer choice, Rowan. What's it going to be?"

Tenley turned to Rowan. She felt torn. She didn't want him to go with his brother and never see him again. She also knew that her group wouldn't want to bring him with - if what Quinn stated was true about Rowan's living at this time. She worried about him.

Rowan could see it on her face. He offered a sympathetic smile as he pulled her into a tight embrace, groaning from the pain in his side. "Don't worry about me," he whispered into her ear. "I'm sure we'll see each other again."

She felt the tears welling up behind her eyes. "I don't want you to go-"

"Maybe it's better this way," Rowan told her, glancing quickly at Flynn. "Keep close to him. He'll protect ye as he always has...and I'll do the same from wherever I end up."

She felt the tears betray her as they cascaded down her cheeks. He kissed her cheek, brushing the tears on her face away. He whispered once more, "I love ye, Tenley. I'll see ye again someday. I promise."

"Come on, brother," Quinn called out as he began entering the machine. "We're running out of time!"

Rowan nodded, keeping his gaze on Tenley. "I'll see ye again. I have to go…"

He pulled away from her as he entered the machine. He turned, glancing over his shoulder to gaze upon her one last time before the door closed. The machine whirred to life and disappeared from sight, leaving the four behind.

Rufus ran his hand over his head. "What just happened? How did they get a machine like that? I mean, it looked like the Death Star!"

"Rufus!" Lucy hissed, motioning toward Tenley.

The two turned to look at Tenley. She sat crumpled in the long grass, staring off in the direction of where the machine had once stood. Her hands were gripping the material of her dress to keep them from trembling. She blinked the tears that threatened away, unsuccessfully.

Flynn bent down next to her, not uttering a word. He studied her face, knowing that whatever happened to her under the care of those two, she had formed a connection with them. He could see the betrayal on her face upon their leaving. He worried about the length of time it would take her to recover from something like this.

Tenley swallowed, trying hard to keep from sobbing. She could feel Flynn's presence beside her and felt the familiar comfort of his closeness - that familiar protectiveness, trust, and love. She turned her gaze over to him, seeing him through a wall of tears. She choked, "Flynn…"

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into him tightly. He could feel her sobs as they racked her body as she clung to him, fingers digging into his shoulders for support.

Flynn knew there was nothing else to do but hold her.


	39. Lost Broken Shards

Present Day

The Lifeboat landed inside the bunker. The alarms were silenced just as the hatch started to open slowly. Wyatt watched as Rufus and Lucy climbed out first. Then his eyes lifted to see Flynn and Tenley emerge. His mouth fell open, eyes narrowed on her. Tenley's eyes were wide and her body language was awkward and tense.

Agent Christopher blinked at the doctor. "What...what happened?"

Lucy glanced over at Flynn and Tenley before returning her gaze to Denise. "They...gave her back…"

"Who did?" Agent Christopher asked. "What happened in 1795? What did Rittenhouse want-"

"Well, that's the question of the year," Rufus muttered. Denise turned to him and he added, "Long story short? Future Jiya came to tell us not to do anything and then we find out she's working for blondie's creepy brother who's apparently Bloodstone-"

All eyes darted over to Jiya. Her expression was mixed with confusion and defense as Rufus continued to accuse her of working with the enemy - at least, that's how she took it.

Rufus asked, "Are you Bloodstone?"

"Rufus," Jiya said, a hint of a lecture behind her tone. Her head was cocked to the side as she glared at him. "How could I possibly be working with Bloodstone?"

"I don't know," he said. "But you were with him and...come to think of it, every time we've seen Future You, you've been warning us about things...like you've known all along-"

"Or," she interrupted. "I'm helping you by telling you when things are a trap or distraction - which," she turned to the others, looking for help on the matter. "I believe I've actually helped you, right?"

Rufus let his head hang slightly. Deep down, he knew he was out of line but he couldn't shake this feeling of betrayal. He didn't know what happened - or would happen - that would cause Jiya to join forces with Bloodstone.

Denise stared at Rufus for a moment before turning her attention back to the others. "One more time, a little simpler, please?"

Lucy inhaled deeply before she began to regale Denise and the others on what took place in 1795, beginning with Future Jiya's warning when they first arrived. She told them all about Steventon and the Austen family. She mentioned the moment Tenley and the brothers arrived at the home of Jane Austen, asking for them to join them outside. She even described the strange turn of events between the brothers and how they ultimately told them to take Tenley back with them.

Denise listened carefully to the story, afraid to interrupt in case she missed an important detail. Rufus, however, was the first to pipe up after Lucy. "They came back for the brother in a Death Star Mothership!"

"A what now?" Mason asked arms crossed over his chest.

Rufus explained the moment when the other Mothership had appeared - the colors and overall dark energy that seemed to come from it. He continued to hold firm in his position that it looked like something straight out of Star Wars.

Wyatt hadn't taken his gaze off of Tenley. "Am I the only one who thinks something is wrong with this picture?"

Flynn's comforting hold on Tenley's arm tightened slightly, reassuring her that she was safe, despite whatever Wyatt may say next. He glared at Wyatt, a silent warning on his expression. It didn't go unnoticed by the soldier.

Wyatt ignored Flynn's heated gaze. "They just handed her back to us? Without anything in return? That isn't suspicious to any of you?"

Denise nodded, carefully glancing over to Tenley and Flynn. "He does have a point," she admitted. "We are happy to have you back, doctor, don't get us wrong but…"

"The timing doesn't add up," Tenley finally said. "I understand your hesitation...I don't understand it myself."

"Do you remember much from before?" Mason asked. Tenley shook her head, letting her gaze fall to her feet.

Denise sighed, dropping her arms back to her sides. "For now, let's get your settled into your old room-"

"You can't be serious!" Wyatt objected.

"What do you want me to do, Wyatt?" Denise asked, glancing over to him. "Toss her back out there for Rittenhouse to get a hold of again?"

Wyatt scoffed. "This is what they wanted! They wanted her to be here! Why am I the only one to see that this is a mistake!?" He saw the hurt and rejection on Tenley's face, then the sad betrayed one on Lucy's. He shook his head and added, "I'm happy she's back. I am...but… something else brought her back to us - not because Bloodstone wanted her to be."

Flynn gritted his teeth. His dark eyes scanned those in the common room carefully. He saw they all agreed with Wyatt, though none were admitting to it. Deep down, even he agreed with the man. He knew something more was going on - something behind the scenes was set in motion - it was obvious. However, he couldn't allow Tenley to go with them - he'd risk losing her forever if she went with them. He knew he was being selfish for having her come back with them but what other choice did he have?

Denise sighed. "Let's just get some rest. We can figure the rest out later."

Flynn glanced down at Tenley, offering a small smile as he led her down the long hallway toward the infirmary.

The others watched the two walk away. Wyatt shook his head. "This is a mistake."

Flynn opened the door to the infirmary, motioning for Tenley to enter first. She crossed the threshold, allowing her eyes to scan the sad-looking room. She recalled a brief memory of this place once but decided to keep it to herself.

Flynn followed her into the room, hands in his pockets as he rocked slightly on his feet. "I'm sure you had a better room when you were with…" his voice drifted away, unable to finish the sentence. "But if there's anything you need, I'm just across the hall."

She glanced up at him. "What's going to happen to me?"

Flynn held her gaze, head tilting slightly. "We'll figure it out," he said gently. "Together."

"They don't trust me," she pointed out. "Why do you?" She saw the pain behind his dark eyes and added, "You don't…trust me...do you?"

He offered a sympathetic smile as he approached her, hands resting gently on her shoulders. "I trust you," he whispered. "Don't doubt that." His thumbs brushed the exposed skin on her neck briefly. "I think your friends, Rowan and his brother, might have something up their sleeve."

She swallowed her nerves, unsure of what to say. She nodded her head glumly. "I understand…"

He kept his hold on her shoulders, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "Hey," he whispered, waiting until she met his gaze. When she did, he added, "Look Nine, we'll figure this out together. Like always."

She blinked at him as a wave of familiarity washed over her. Her lips parted as her brows knitted together. "Nine?"

Flynn smiled at her. "It's uh...my nickname for you." Her expression didn't falter from the confused one that remained. His smile widened as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Your name is Tenley Levinson."

He watched her expression melt as the understanding of the nickname came to her. She chuckled. "Clever."

Flynn let a small laugh pass his lips. "I want you to know," he started. "Despite everything...everything you'll be faced with over the next few days or weeks...I'm so happy you're back."

She saw sincerity behind his gaze. She knew he meant something to her, she could feel it at times, but seeing his expression as he spoke to her in the comfort of her room, she could see it went beyond the scope of just friends.

The way his eyes flicked to her lips with his own parting slightly, she expected him to pull her into another spontaneous kiss but to her surprise, he simply nodded. "Goodnight, Nine. I'm glad you're back."

She watched as he turned and headed out of the infirmary, leaving her alone in a place slightly familiar to her. She sighed, glancing about the room once more. She tried to think of what to do with herself. Gripping the material of her skirt, she decided to change first before rummaging through her old belongings in an attempt to recall anything from her life before.

The day melted into the evening. The rest of the bunker had continued about their day almost normally. They spoke in hushed tones regarding the return of the prodigal doctor and what dangers may come with her.

"We don't know what lies they've been telling her," Wyatt stated. "She could be brainwashed to believe that we're the enemy. Hell, they could have trained her to be a sleeper!"

Lucy turned her gaze over to him. Her expression mixed with understanding and frustration. She knew he had a point but she wanted to give the doctor a chance before casting her off as an enemy. "I think we need to give her a chance-"

"I'm not saying we don't give her a chance-" Wyatt began.

"How do you suppose we let her prove herself if we don't give her some sort of chance-" Lucy started.

Wyatt shook his head. "I'm saying we need to be careful, that's all. Maybe there's a cell Agent Christopher could put her in-"

"A cell?" Lucy repeated. She couldn't believe what he was saying.

Jiya glanced between the two. "I don't think putting anyone in a cell is the answer," she interjected, trying to maintain the fragile peace. "She doesn't seem to remember everything as it is...we should wait-"

"What about some kind of hypnotherapy?" Rufus asked. "Couldn't we bring someone in to unlock her memories?"

"I don't think it works like that," Jiya replied with a small smile on her lips. Rufus didn't smile back, nor look at her. Jiya's brows furrowed as she placed her hands on her hips. "You still don't trust me?"

Rufus shrugged, keeping his head down. "I don't know-"

Jiya scoffed, tossing her hands up in frustration. "For God's sake, Rufus...I've not turned to the dark side, okay?"

Lucy raised her hands to keep the fight to a minimum. "Let's not fight. Maybe that's what Bloodstone, or even Rittenhouse, hopes for...We don't know anything - the future isn't written in stone-"

The group turned quiet instantly the moment they spotted Tenley entering the room. The doctor froze as all the pairs of eyes landed on her. She looked at each one, shoulders hunching forward. "Sorry…" she spoke softly. Motioning over to the kitchen, she added, "I was just getting some water…"

She inched her way passed them to the kitchen, grabbing a mug off of the drying rack. Quickly filling it with tap water, she took it and slinked off to her room.

Lucy sighed, watching the girl disappear. "We need to help her adjust to life here…"

"Go ahead," Wyatt told her. "No one is stopping you."

"Wyatt," Lucy started, her voice growing sharp. "Let's not repeat history." She gave him a look he knew all too well. He knew she was referring to their fight that led to the doctor's disappearance, to begin with.

Tenley returned to the safety of her room. She sighed heavily once she was away from glaring eyes. She felt uncomfortable within the bunker. With another heavy sigh released to calm her nerves, she tucked some of her hair behind her ear. Setting the mug of water down on the table, she began opening cabinets and looking through things.

With every drawer or cabinet, she hoped something would spark something within her memory. So far, nothing was coming forward. She was ready to give up hope when something on the sofa caught her attention.

Walking over, she spotted a grey hoodie with symbols on the front. Her brow knitted together as she blinked at it. Shaking her head, she dropped it back onto the sofa. She ran her hands down the length of her face before slumping down into the cushions. The uncomfortable poking in her mid-back from the sofa spring felt very familiar to her. Her lips curved upward at the memory.

The door to the infirmary opened slowly with a loud creak. Glancing over and dropping her small smile, Tenley saw Flynn poking his head in. When he saw the look on her expression, he entered the room, closing the door behind him. "Hey," he whispered, nearing her. "You okay?"

She blinked the tears that were welling up in her eyes away as best as she could. She turned away from him, almost ashamed of herself. She felt him sitting down next to her on the sofa. With a small voice, she admitted, "I feel so lost…"

He studied her carefully, watching her despair. He waited, knowing she had more to say. He wanted to give her the opportunity to say whatever was on her mind without someone interrupting her or telling her what she should do.

She twisted her fingers together as she asked, "Why am I not in a prison cell somewhere?" Her eyes lifted to meet him, waiting for his answer.

"Why would we put you in a cell?" he questioned, confusion washing over his face.

"The others mentioned that I should be locked up until you can trust me," she stated.

Flynn's jaw tensed. He knew exactly who had said such a thing. "Don't you listen to them-"

"What if I can't remember anything?" she asked. "What good am I going to be to any of you, if I can't remember who I am?"

Flynn inched closer to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "You have started remembering though," he reminded her. "I'll do whatever I can to help you. You have my word on that."

She sighed heavily, letting her body relax. "What if I am just some pawn for Bloodstone or Rittenhouse?" she asked. "What if I am here to rip you all apart?"

Gently placing his fingers under her chin, he turned her face to look at him. He whispered, "I don't believe that for a second. Don't you believe it either."

He watched as the tears welled in her eyes again. He pulled her close to him, holding her and allowing her a safe place to cry if she needed to.

That night, Flynn stayed with Tenley in the infirmary, going over the important information - like being a gifted doctor and Wyatt and Lucy being her parents. He told her what he knew of Bloodstone and Rittenhouse - including his own personal story regarding them. He tried as best as he could to walk her through everything before she disappeared and even how her disappearance impacted those within the bunker.

She listened to his every word - even when it was clear to him that she was lost. She took it all in, hoping that something would jump out at her, reminding her of memories of old. So far, she felt like she was simply listening to a story.

Flynn could see her eyes glossing over as he filled her in on the events of days past. He couldn't blame her - a lot had happened. He reassured her that things would start coming back to her. He believed it so adamantly.

As morning arrived in the bunker, Flynn's eyes slowly opened, taking in the dull light of the infirmary. He felt that familiar poking in the middle of his back, reminding him how uncomfortable the sofa was to sleep on.

Feeling some weight on his lap, his eyes darted down to see Tenley's head on his legs like a pillow. His left arm was draped over her side, holding her as she slept. He took in her appearance as she slept. She seemed at peace - the first time in quite a while. He missed her and it made his heart nearly explode with happiness to see that she was right beside him.

She slowly started to stir. He watched as her dark eyes blinked open, her head rolling slightly to look up at him. She inhaled deeply, pushing herself up to create some space between them. "Sorry," she muttered, rubbing her eyes.

He smiled at her. "It's fine."

She stifled a yawn. "What time is it?"

Flynn glanced at his watch. "Just after 8." He studied her for a moment before asking, "Are you hungry?"

She opened her mouth to answer but stopped. "I think I should just stay here…"

"Why?" he asked, standing up from the sofa. "We should get some breakfast-"

She bit her lip. "What if the others are there?" she asked. "I know they don't trust me and-"

"Hey," he said, voice reassuring. "I won't let them bully you."

She hesitated. Her stomach growled loudly enough for Flynn to hear it and suppress a laugh. She stood up and sighed. "Okay…"

He led her down the hallway to the common living area where the others had already gathered for breakfast. The moment the two entered the sightlines of the other residents of the bunker, the atmosphere shifted.

Tenley's posture turned rigid, showcasing her unease and discomfort in their presence. She turned and grabbed a mug from the cabinet, filling it with water. Without having been told where they were, she grabbed the tin container with the tea bags, opened and retrieved one, before dropping it into the mug of water. She turned and placed it into the microwave, heating it up.

Flynn's eyes widened slightly at her movements before a smile crossed his lips. Her muscle memory was improving, so he believed.

She pulled the mug from the microwave, blowing on it slightly as her eyes lifted to meet Flynn's. She saw the amused look on his face and asked, "What?"

Flynn tried hard not to laugh at her as he admitted, "Nice to see some things never change." She lifted an eyebrow as she sipped her tea, keeping her gaze on him. He knew she didn't have a clue what he was referring to but it made him happy to know some things were just the same no matter what.

Tenley finally broke their gaze as she glanced over at the others. She shifted in her place as she lowered her mug from her lips. She offered a small smile to the others but fought the urge to bolt from the room. She felt a familiar warmth standing close by and saw Flynn sidling up next to her, almost protectively so.

Lucy's brown eyes darted about the room at the others before turning to Tenley. "How was your first night back?" she asked.

Tenley shifted in her place again. "It was fine…"

Before she had a chance to fully speak, Agent Christopher walked in. "Good morning everyone."

Glancing over to Agent Christopher, Tenley spotted the shopping bags in her arms full of groceries. Jiya and Mason took them from her and began to put them away. One item in particular that brought the feelings of happiness forward for her was a box of Ding Dongs. Tenley stared at the box, unsure why she felt the way she did about them.

Denise turned her attention over to Tenley, breaking the doctor's concentration. "I'd like to have a meeting with you," she stated.

Tenley nodded, turning her gaze back to the woman. "Of course." She knew this was coming. After all, they needed to learn more about Rittenhouse, and seeing as though she had spent a long time with them, it was only the next logical step for Homeland Security to take.

Denise motioned over to a distant table, leading Tenley away from the others. Flynn followed behind as they made their way across the room. Tenley sat down at the table across from Denise.

"What can you tell me about Rittenhouse's location?" Denise asked.

Flynn scoffed. "Let's just rip the Band-Aid off, why don't you?"

Denise's eyes darted up to meet his briefly before turning back to Tenley. "I'm sorry for being so blunt-"

"It's fine," the doctor interjected. "I get it."

Denise offered her a sympathetic gaze. "I'm sorry… I should be a little more understanding of what you've been through-"

"Really," Tenley said. "It's fine. I know you guys don't trust me-"

"It's not that," Denise claimed. "We haven't been able to isolate Rittenhouse since this whole thing began."

"I don't know how helpful I'm going to be," Tenley admitted. "I didn't see a whole lot while I was there."

Wyatt had made his way over at some point. He startled the doctor as he asked, "They didn't let you wander about their base of operations?"

Tenley glanced over her shoulder at the man. She swallowed her nerves. "I was allowed in the infirmary, my room, the training room, and where the machine was kept...But outside of that? No…"

"Training room for what?" Wyatt asked. Denise turned her gaze over to him, silently warning him to stop. He ignored her. "What did they train you for?"

Tenley's brows furrowed. "To defend myself-"

"Against who?"

"Wyatt-" Flynn warned.

Wyatt tugged at the sling his arm still rested in. "Defend against who? Us?"

She shook her head. "No-"

"Then who?" Wyatt interrupted.

"For God's sake Wyatt," Flynn shouted. "Give her a chance to answer your stupid questions!"

Agent Christopher glared at the soldier. "Wyatt? Go away." The man opened his mouth to retort but she shot him a warning glance. He finally walked away, shaking his head all the while.

Tenley turned her gaze slowly away from Wyatt and back to Agent Christopher. "Am I a prisoner here?"

"Why do you ask that?" Denise questioned.

"Because I can't help but feel like I'm being interrogated," she admitted. "And after his questioning, I can't help but wonder if I'm the enemy here."

Flynn shook his head. "You're not the enemy nor are you a prisoner."

She looked down at her hands which were folded neatly in her lap. She struggled to believe any of them at the moment.

Agent Christopher saw her hesitation. She could see the questions racing through the doctor's mind. She couldn't blame the girl. Her welcome reception was less than friendly and warm.

Tenley sighed, pinching the bridge to her nose. "Look, if I knew anything-"

Before she could finish her statement, the bunker alarms blared overhead. Tenley's head snapped up, glancing over at the others who were rushing to the console with the computer.

Jiya climbed into the chair, swiveling around to type madly at the keyboard. "Santa Barbara. May 30, 1955."

The team turned to Lucy who cocked her head to the side as she thought about the date. Finally, she shook her head. "There's nothing…"

"Be careful," Agent Christopher said, approaching the team. "Whatever they are planning, you need to be on guard."

"I think," Flynn began. "I should stay behind on this one."

The others stared at him in disbelief. Wyatt's gaze turned over to Tenley before scoffed. "Fine," he said, removing the sling from his shoulder. "We can handle it without you. Just like we did before."

Flynn held the man's gaze, unflinching at his words or tone. He didn't care what Wyatt thought of him. Lucy twisted her lips in thought before nodding.

Denise nodded. "Okay. Get going. Be careful, please."

Wyatt marched over to the Lifeboat, climbing inside. Lucy gave Tenley a small smile before following Rufus. They watched as the hatch closed and the machine whirred to life. The blast of cold wind whipped around them as they disappeared from sight.

Jiya glanced over and sighed. "They forgot the transmitter." The red light on the end of the pen in her hand dimmed and turned off.


	40. Sealed Door

1955

The Lifeboat landed in a secluded cove along the coast of Santa Barbara. Rufus hopped out last as the other two were already glancing down the length of the coast. He patted his pockets and muttered a curse under his breath. When the other two looked over at him, he admitted, "I forgot the transmitter."

"Well, can't do anything about it now," Wyatt replied, scanning the beach outside. "I don't see anyone out there right now. We should be okay to get some clothes."

Rufus nodded, looking at his watch. "We should find out when the tides come in," he said, glancing over to the Lifeboat. "Something tells me that we don't want to have the Lifeboat turn into a yellow submarine."

"Then let's get moving," Wyatt sighed. He shook his head at Rufus's remark as he marched out of the cove.

Rufus stepped up to Lucy and motioned over to Wyatt. "Oh, he's going to be a joy to work with."

Lucy shook her head, keeping her thoughts to herself. She couldn't disagree with Rufus but she also understood where Wyatt's head was at. She didn't agree with him but she did understand the challenges of having Tenley back so suddenly.

As they followed Wyatt out of the cove, across the beach, and into town, Lucy marveled at the times. The 50s weren't so distant but there was something so magical about those years that she loved so much. The music, the hair, the fashion - just the simple lifestyle. She often found herself adding pieces of vintage clothing into her own wherever she could.

The team struggled to find decent clothes to change into. Wyatt scanned the street they were on and spotted a few teenagers standing toe to toe, preparing for a fight.

Rufus took in their appearances. "Did they really have showdowns between Grease and Leave It To Beaver?" Lucy opened her mouth to reply but Wyatt motioned for them to stay back as he approached them. Rufus asked, "Uh... what's he doing?"

They watched as Wyatt stumbled through the group of kids, pretending to be drunk. He apologized to them as they shouted and pushed him out of the way. Whistles from approaching policemen echoed along the sidewalk, causing the kids to disperse quickly.

Wyatt stood up straight and headed back toward Lucy and Rufus, hurrying them along and out of sight of the incoming police. The police seemed much more interested in the kids than them.

"What was that all about?" Rufus asked. "Are you so angry still you're hoping to get your ass kicked?"

Wyatt smirked. "Relax, would you?" he said, holding up a wallet. "We need clothes, right?"

"You pickpocketed Grease Lightning?" Rufus gasped. "I don't want to be here when John Travolta's mini-me comes back..." he ran a hand over his head. "You really do want to get your ass kicked!"

Wyatt rolled his eyes. "We needed to do something, so I took control of the situation."

Lucy hummed a response as she turned to look down the sidewalk. She spotted a couple of diners, a bookstore, a mechanic shop, and finally, a clothing store. "Come on," she said, motioning with her head. "Let's get some clothes and figure out why we're here."

The three strolled across the street, entering the clothing store. The moment they entered, the three ladies working inside stared at them before their eyes drifted down the length of them, clearly scanning their clothes. One of them approached the trio. "Can I ...help you?" Her voice indicated that they weren't welcome.

"We're here to buy some clothes," Wyatt stated, tugging Rufus towards the men's section.

Lucy blinked at him for leaving her alone with the clerk who was still scanning the length of her, almost in disgust. Lucy forced a smile and said, "We've just returned from Europe. Needless to say, we're ready for some regular, good ol' American fashion."

"Indeed," the woman replied, disgust still lingering on her expression. "I can only imagine…" She placed her hand over her chest, taking a step back from Lucy.

Lucy slipped by the woman, grabbing the first thing she could to try on. She entered the changing room and quickly changed out of her clothes into the more appropriate wear - simple blue slacks and an orange blouse. When she reemerged, she saw Wyatt and Rufus waiting at the register with the same woman from earlier.

Wyatt pointed to Lucy and asked, "So, how much for these three outfits?"

The woman tallied it up and looked at Wyatt. "$25.49"

Wyatt blinked at the woman. "Seriously?"

Lucy laughed, stepping in. "Items were much more expensive in Europe," she explained, shooting Wyatt a warning glance.

He laughed. "Right," he sighed, pulling the wallet from his pocket. He set the money on the counter. "Keep the change."

"I'm afraid I cannot do that," the woman told him, eyes narrowing at them suspiciously. She counted out the change and passed it over to him. "Have a nice day…"

The three smiled politely, making their way toward the door. Rufus stopped and asked, "What time does the tide come in?"

The woman blinked at Rufus as if he had grown three heads. "How on earth would I know?"

"Never mind," he muttered, exiting the shop behind the others.

"So, what now?" Wyatt asked as they strolled along the sidewalk. "Where do we go? Any ideas what they're doing here?"

Lucy scanned the town as they walked, searching for clues along the way. "I don't know," she admitted. "I'm trying to remember anything around here during this time that would be important-"

Rounding the corner, the three slammed into a group of young women, excitedly speaking in giggly tones. They apologized to the three before continuing on. One of the girls shouted, "I can't believe he's here! I hope he does autographs!"

The three halted in their step, watching the cluster of women as they skipped by. Lucy's mind raced with possibilities. Wyatt stepped up next to her and asked, "Autographs?"

Lucy shook her head again. "I don't know-"

Wyatt took Lucy's scarf from her hands and raced after the girls. He called out to them. "Hey!" One of them stopped and turned to face him. He stopped before her, holding out the scarf, and said, "I think you might have dropped this."

The young woman looked at the scarf in his hand. She shook her head as she lifted her eyes to meet his. "Sorry, but that's not mine."

"Oh," he feigned. "I'm sorry." Before the girl could catch up to her friends, he asked, "What's everyone so excited about?"

She giggled, smiling wide at him. "You haven't heard? They're holding car races at the track and one of the drivers is famous!"

"Who?" he pushed.

"James Dean, of course," she said with a laugh. She scanned Wyatt and stepped closer. "Though, you look like you could be his brother...has anyone ever told you that?"

Wyatt smiled back, a small chuckle escaping his lips as he brushed his hand through his blond hair. "I've been told that once or twice."

Lucy and Rufus sidled up to Wyatt. The girl looked over at them, brows drawing together. Wyatt turned to face them, expression melting in to shock as he turned back to the girl. "Sorry," he began. "My friends and I were hoping to see this race ourselves. Where's the track?"

The girl slowly pointed down the street where her friends were waiting for her. She turned and said, "Have fun…"

He waved as she walked away. Lucy gave Wyatt a disapproving look as he turned back to her. "What?"

"Have any luck questioning the locals?" Rufus asked.

"I did," Wyatt admitted. "James Dean is racing at the track."

"James Dean?" Rufus repeated. "As in Rebel Without A Cause, James Dean?"

Wyatt nodded, still smiling over the compliment the girl gave him moments before. Lucy sighed. "Of course," she started. "It's his last race before his accident."

"The one he dies in?" Rufus questioned.

She nodded. "But why would Rittenhouse or Bloodstone be interested in him?"

"You don't think he's another Bloodstone agent, do you?" Rufus asked. "Was his name on the list?"

The two shrugged their shoulders as they began to walk toward the race track. Rufus followed closely behind, wishing he could call up the bunker and ask.

Present Day

Flynn paced behind Tenley's chair as she sat across from Agent Christopher once more. Denise had been asking the same questions in hopes that Tenley would be able to answer them. So far, all she had succeeded in doing was frustrating all parties.

Tenley sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I swear to you, if I knew anything, I'd tell you!"

Denise nodded slowly, giving the doctor a small sympathetic gaze. "I know," she started. "I am just being thorough."

Flynn crossed his arms, glaring over at Denise. He remembered being in this position once himself - except he was in a prison, occasionally being shanked by Rittenhouse agents. He knew Tenley must have felt like she had been put into prison the way she was being interrogated.

"Are we done?" Flynn asked. "She's answered your questions over and over. How many more times are you going to ask her?"

Denise looked up to meet Flynn's frustrated glare. "I'm doing my job-"

"How about finding out who Reynolds is?" Flynn suggested. "Instead of putting her on trial-"

Denise opened her mouth to speak when alarms blared within the bunker. Denise popped up to her feet, hand on her sidearm.

Tenley realized these alarms weren't the same as when Rittenhouse had jumped. She glanced over to Flynn who wore a similar expression of worry and alarm on his face. "What's happening?"

Flynn reached out, grabbing Tenley's elbow, lifting her to feet. "We're under attack."

Mason and Jiya joined the others into the common living room. Mason asked, "What on earth is going on?"

Denise stated, "We've got some unexpected company." She motioned over to the safe where the weapons were stored. "I suggest you arm yourselves. I don't know who's coming in but we need to be prepared."

Just as they opened up the safe for the weapons, the door into the bunker blew off of the hinges, crashing into the hallway with a slam. Smoke billowed down the hall, creating a smokescreen to prevent them from seeing who was coming inside.

Flynn grabbed two handguns, pulling Tenley around the corner. Mason and Jiya armed themselves, hunkering down behind the control console. Denise had flipped the kitchen table to use for cover.

Peering around their cover, their eyes locked onto the entrance of the bunker. Breaths slowed with anticipation as the smoke began to dissipate.

As the smoke nearly faded, semi-armored men entered the bunker, rifles aimed before them as they began to scan the area for those left within. The men separated within the bunker hallways, thinning their numbers. Denise aimed carefully as they started to filter into the common living area.

She fired a shot, striking the lead man in the kneecap, bringing him to the ground. The man shouted in pain, firing his gun as he collapsed. Denise pulled back behind her cover as the enemy's bullets rained across the room.

Another man entered the room, Flynn poked out around the corner of his hiding place, firing his gun, striking the intruder in the neck. He pulled himself back into cover and glanced about the area. He knew he couldn't stay put, especially with Tenley next to him. He grabbed her hand and pulled her across the way, leading her somewhere safer.

Jiya and Mason peeked over their cover, watching as Denise continued to hold the intruders back on her own. Mason shook his head, debating on what his next move should be. He knew Denise couldn't hold them all off on her own for long. He glanced at Jiya, offering a small apologetic smile before crossing the room to the nearest cover available.

Jiya slid to the floor, covering her head as bullets ricocheted off of the console. She shook with fear, worried about the team returning to find all of them murdered by these unknown assailants.

Flynn led Tenley into a different part of the bunker, keeping her safely behind him as he moved through the corridors. As an intruder came out before him, he fired his gun, taking them down.

He released his hold of Tenley just a second before another man darted out to attack them. Flynn grabbed the man's wrists, slamming him into the wall. He saw the gun in his hand and bashed it into the wall until he dropped the gun.

Tenley watched in fear as Flynn took on the armed man. Seeing the gun pointed at her, she darted into some cover. Memories flashed before her mind of being shot. She worried history was about to repeat. She shook her head, trying to keep the memories at bay.

Flynn watched as the gun clattered to the floor. He slammed his fist into the man's face before kneeing the man's stomach. He threw the man back into the room he came from, closing the door and securing it shut. He glanced over to see Tenley peeking out from her cover.

He motioned for her to come out as he picked up the gun the man dropped. He passed it over to her. "Stay close." She nodded, following him through the bunker, clutching the gun to her chest protectively.

Denise poked her head around the corner of her cover, firing upon more of the intruders. Just as she fired a round off, the power within the bunker shut down. The alarms went silent, the lights went out. She waited for a moment, listening for movement within the darkness. She knew the backup generator should be kicking on soon. When it didn't immediately turn on, panic started to creep up within her.


	41. The Legend

1955

The trio arrived at the racetrack with ease after having been shown the way. They spotted all of the vintage cars zooming around, kicking dust up as they drifted around the sharp corners. The gathered crowds were cheering, waving, and shouting with excitement as their favorite drivers zoomed by.

Wyatt's face beamed as he took in the different cars that zipped by. One, in particular, caught his attention - a red Porsche 356. "I've always wanted one of those!"

Rufus shook his head. "Maybe you could steal it and drive it back to the Lifeboat when we're done here."

Wyatt grimaced as he turned to face Rufus. "Say that a little louder, maybe?"

Lucy's brown eyes darted about the track, eyes scanning the faces of those out there. She saw a lot of people - most of whom were wearing helmets. It made finding who she was looking for even more challenging.

Rufus asked, "Any ideas which car has the Rebel in it?"

Lucy shook her head, eyes drifting over to the gaggle of women from earlier. A few were looking at Wyatt and whispering to one another. Her eyes flitted to Wyatt. "Well, you could always ask your fan club."

"My what?" Wyatt asked, turning away from the speeding cars to look over his right shoulder. When his eyes landed on the ogling women, he glanced back at Lucy, wearing an annoyed expression. "Really?"

Lucy shrugged. Rufus bobbed his head up and down. "You should ask them which one is James Dean."

Wyatt sighed, glaring at the two. Rolling his blue eyes, he turned and headed toward the women. As he neared them, they started giggling. He smiled wide at them, running a hand through his hair as he stopped before them. "Hey, sorry to bother you again-"

"Oh, that's okay," one of the girls managed to say, a blush forming on her face.

"I was hoping you could point out to me which car belongs to James Dean?" he asked.

The girls nudged one of their friends forward. "Nancy can show you."

Nancy glared at her friends in embarrassment before turning to face Wyatt, deep red rising in her cheeks. "If you want, that is," she said softly.

Wyatt blinked at her, smiling warmly, knowing her discomfort of being put on the spot. "Of course," he said, holding his arm out for her to take it. She hesitated but wrapped her arm through his. Her friends erupted into hushed giggles as they walked away from the group.

Lucy and Rufus watched the exchange unfold. As Wyatt led Nancy off toward the track, Rufus turned to Lucy and asked, "He's sleeping on the couch, isn't he?" Lucy hummed a response - one that Rufus heard a lot whenever he asked Lucy not to tell Jiya something he had said or done that would get him into trouble.

Wyatt and Nancy approached the gates of the track where the drivers and crew were entering. They stopped and Nancy pointed across the track to the distant crew. "That's his crew there," she told him. "I believe his car is…" She glanced across the track, finally pointing to a familiar-looking car with 23 painted on the side. "That should be Mr. Dean."

The moment Wyatt's eyes landed on the car, he remembered seeing pictures of the vehicle. It was the infamous Porsche that killed the actor. He stared at the car, feeling a little bit of shame that he hadn't recognized it sooner.

The car sped by, kicking up dust in their faces. Wyatt instinctually shielded Nancy from the debris. He glanced down at her bright green eyes that were wide as they stared up at him. He cleared his throat, putting distance between them. "Sorry."

Nancy shook her head slightly, a shy smile on her face. She licked her lips, glancing over the racetrack. "I suppose you'll want to talk to him?"

"Thank you for your help," Wyatt said, offering a polite smile. "You've been quite the assistant."

Nancy nodded slowly, taking in his words with a hint of confusion on her expression. She slinked away from him to rejoin her friends. As she slipped into the crowd, Wyatt's eyes found Lucy and Rufus approaching. Rufus tried to hold back a laugh while it was obvious that Lucy was not amused. Wyatt knew he was in trouble.

Once they were closer, Wyatt said, "He's over there-"

"Are they really going to just let us walk right up to him?" Rufus asked, a disbelieving look on his face.

Lucy was about to speak when her eyes landed on a familiar lanky frame nearing them. "Oh-" she tried to speak.

"Are you looking for autographs?" a sleepy voice asked.

The three looked over to see the tall lanky blond stopping before them. His soulful blue eyes sparkled at them, a sly smile gracing his lips while a cigarette hung between them. His eyes darted between the three. He waited for them to say something.

Lucy shook the shock away as she smiled at him. "I'm afraid we forgot to bring our pens and pictures with us."

James grinned at her. "I may be able to help you with that…" he chuckled softly. "I've still got a few photographs on hand to sign." He turned to shout over his shoulder. "Hey, Mack!" A man stopped to wait for him to continue. "Fetch some of my old photographs from my trailer, would ya?"

The trio watched as Mack ran off to do the task asked of him. The longer James Dean stood before them, the more people started filtering over, gushing, and talking to him.

The mass of people pushing their way toward the famed actor caused the three to stand off to the side. Lucy noticed James glancing over at them frequently, connecting eyes with them before attending to the crowd once more.

"We're going to lose out on the chance to talk to him," Rufus muttered.

Lucy shook her head. "I don't think so," she said. "He keeps looking over here...something tells me he wants to talk to us just as much as we want to talk to him."

Wyatt's brows knitted together as he glanced back at Lucy. "You think he's a sleeper?"

Lucy shrugged. "I don't know. At this point, I'd say anything is possible."

Rufus rubbed the back of his neck as he shifted his weight from one leg to the other. "I really wish we had more guidance than a list of names and cryptic messages from Future Jiya."

"Well," Wyatt began, turning his gaze to Rufus. "When we get back, maybe instruct Jiya to be more forthright in the future."

"Instruct?" Rufus repeated. "Dude, she's not a dog…"

"What?" Wyatt retorted. "I didn't say-"

"Didn't have to," Rufus mumbled.

Lucy rolled her eyes, shaking her head at the two. She lifted her gaze back to James and saw him waving the crowds goodbye as he made his way over to them.

"Forgive the occupational hazard," the man said with a sly smile. "It happens more often these days."

"Oh," Lucy replied, feeling a blush creeping up as James smiled down at her. "It's quite alright."

"Mack hasn't come back with your pictures," he said, glancing about the track. "Maybe you'd like to join me in my trailer?"

"All of us or …" Rufus began, motioning to Lucy.

James chuckled. "The more the merrier."

Wyatt's eyes narrowed at the actor. "Sure," he said, his voice growing sharp. "We'll join you…"

James turned his blue eyes onto Wyatt. "You know, you could pass for my stunt double."

Wyatt didn't seem fazed by the man's charm any longer. He sensed something wasn't right and he was beginning to brace himself for whatever was coming.

The three followed James Dean closely as he led them through the racetrack toward his trailer. Wyatt scanned the area, hoping to spot someone who stood out - someone from Rittenhouse or Bloodstone, but he had yet to. He didn't even see Mack - and that was a problem.

James approached his trailer, opening the squeaky metal door and motioning for the others to enter. Wyatt hesitated and James saw it. "I promise you," the actor began. "Nothing will happen."

"Quite the disclaimer," Wyatt pointed out, crossing his arms over his chest, almost challenging the man.

James gave him a knowing look before entering his trailer first to prove the point. "Close the door if and when you decide to join me."

Wyatt huffed a heavy sigh before climbing into the trailer behind the man. Lucy and Rufus followed.

Inside the trailer, their eyes found a small beige couch, a large bed in the far corner of the room - neatly made, and a set of dining room chairs surrounding a small card table. James approached the table, pulling a chair out to sit down. "Please," he said, motioning to the others. "Have a seat." As they slowly approached the table, James admitted, "Mack has been here...my stash of photographs is missing."

"Where did he go?" Lucy asked, worry beginning to wash over her expression.

With a shrug, James replied, "I'm not sure...it's not like there are many places to disappear to…"

Wyatt crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at the man. "Who are you really?"

James lifted his amused gaze to meet Wyatt's. He chuckled. "I'm James Dean-"

"No," Wyatt interrupted. "Are you Rittenhouse or Bloodstone?"

James blinked at the soldier, seemingly confused by his words. As the three exchanged glances, fearing they had just exposed the man to an unnecessary fact, James's confusion turned into an amused one. "I guess you could say that I'm a bit of both."

"I knew it!" Rufus exclaimed, pointing at the actor.

Wyatt's face contorted with disbelief as he turned toward Rufus. "You did not!"

Lucy shook her head, motioning to the two to shut up. "What do you mean, you're both?"

James leaned back in his chair, placing his hands behind his head. "I started as a sleeper for Rittenhouse."

"Wait," Rufus said, sitting down at the table. "Started as Rittenhouse? So that means-"

James nodded. "I defected to Bloodstone."

"But why?" Lucy asked. "What happened?"

James licked his lips, studying Lucy carefully. He inhaled deeply before allowing his arms to fall back to his lap as he leaned forward. "Carol had plans - dangerous plans - for you and your kin," he began. "Plans that not everyone believed in."

"My kin?" Lucy started to ask.

"Your children," he explained. "Carol believed she could make you join her ranks within Rittenhouse if she could control your children." He placed his arms onto the table, leaning even closer. "We made sure she couldn't get her hands on them."

"Them?" Lucy asked, glancing up to meet Wyatt's gaze.

James smirked. "There's a lot you don't know about the future."

"And you do?" Wyatt asked, still not believing the actor.

James's eyes flitted up to meet Wyatt's. "Look," he started. "I may not know everything but I do know this: your daughter? Tenley? She was an important piece of the puzzle for Bloodstone's survival-"

"How?" Wyatt pushed.

"Do you remember your mission to 1915?" James questioned, leaning back against his chair again, arms crossed over his chest.

"What does Dorothy Lawrence have to do with it?" Lucy asked, confusion apparent over her face.

A small chuckle escaped James's lips. "It was never about Dorothy - not really - not for Bloodstone."

"What then?" Lucy asked, still not following.

Wyatt's face lit up as the answer came to him. "The opium…" he turned his attention from Lucy to James. "Bloodstone was under an opium addiction -"

James nodded. "Until you helped Rittenhouse destroy the habit."

"So," Lucy began, drawing the word out. "I'm still not sure I'm following-"

James shook his head. "You will figure it out one day-"

"No, I don't think so," Wyatt snapped, slamming his hands onto the tabletop. "You said you had answers-"

"I never said that," James pointed out. Wyatt grew frustrated as James continued, "Tenley helped one of the members of Bloodstone by making sure he didn't become addicted to that stuff - keeping him from spiraling out of control. Without her, he would have been lost to us and everything would have been for naught."

"How do you explain the battle between Rittenhouse and Bloodstone then?" Rufus asked. "Why the war?"

James sighed. "I can't tell you that."

"Can't or won't?" Wyatt questioned.

James lifted his gaze back to Wyatt. "I can't," he said, emphasizing the last word. "I don't know the reasons why...I'm just a grunt - a sleeper."

"Hard to believe," Wyatt retorted. "You seem to know a lot more than you're willing to tell us."

James shook his head. "You don't get it…" he turned his gaze back to Lucy. "I'm amazed you stay with him as long as you do when his head is as thick-"

"Watch it!" Wyatt warned, straightening up as if he were preparing for a fight.

"Bloodstone isn't your enemy," the actor admitted bluntly. "We never were."


	42. The Cavalry Breaks Through

Present Day

The generator finally kicked on, though unstable. The already dim lights overhead flickered unreliably as the residents of the bunker continued to protect themselves from the dangerous intruders filtering in.

Agent Christopher finished tying her belt around her thigh to keep the pressure on her wound. She grimaced as she tucked the last bits of the belt around and out of the way. She glanced over her cover, checking for any more intruders. So far, she had taken out a handful. She knew she was running out of ammo in her handgun. If she was lucky, she had a few more rounds but her mental counting told her she only had three or four bullets left.

Across the room, she spotted Mason and Jiya. They motioned for her to head their direction. She shook her head, unsure if that was the smart move. She didn't want to put those two at risk.

Mason scanned the distant hallway and common living area. He didn't see any movement through the smoke and bodies that littered the place. He motioned for Denise to come again, more urgency to his movements.

Jiya watched as Denise shook her head again. She turned to Mason and whispered, "Anything?" Mason shook his head. She whispered, "Cover me...I'm going to get her."

Mason held his gun before him, aiming in case anyone showed up as Jiya rushed forward across the room toward Agent Christopher.

She knelt beside the wounded agent. "Come on."

"You shouldn't have come out here for me," Denise scolded.

Throwing Denise's arm over her shoulder, Jiya muttered, "You can write me up for it later." A small smile graced her lips, almost as if she had just said an inside joke only the two of them knew.

The two stood up to begin their way over to Mason. They took two steps forward when a voice behind them ordered, "Hold it right there!"

Jiya's eyes widened, staring at Mason. He shook his head, silently telling her that he didn't have a good shot at the intruder behind them.

"Turn around," the voice ordered. The sound of a gun loaded echoed loudly behind them.

Jiya and Denise slowly turned to face the man behind them. When they were face to face with him, they noticed he was wearing his combat gear, armored mask still covering his face. He held his rifle in front of him, pointing it at the two. He motioned over to the couch. "Sit down."

As Mason watched the two women get shuffled over to the sofa, he turned and snuck away from the room, hoping to find a new place to hunker down until it was safe. He even hoped to run into Flynn or Tenley.

At the opposite end of the bunker, Flynn had a hold of Tenley's wrist as he led her carefully through. He paused at the corner, listening for anyone approaching before peeking around to see. The dark hallway was empty, aside from the residual smoke that wafted through.

His heart raced and the deafening sounds of it beating echoed in his ears. He glanced over his shoulder at Tenley who seemed equally as terrified. He could feel her heartbeat racing as he held onto her wrist.

He tugged her around the corner slowly, eyes scanning the halls around them as he inched deeper into the bunker. Flynn paused at the entrance to the next hallway, glancing down the length before continuing forward.

Taking a couple of steps into the hall, Flynn heard a man's shout nearing them. Glancing over his left shoulder, he spotted one of the armed intruders rushing them, knife in hand. Flynn pulled Tenley behind him as quickly as he could before the man's blade found its target. Tenley shrieked as she tumbled to the floor behind him, landing hard enough to allow her breath to escape from behind her lips.

He grabbed the man's wrist that held the knife with one hand as the other blocked the incoming attack with the man's free hand. Flynn used all of his strength to slam the man back into the wall, both still fighting for dominance over the other.

Flynn could feel himself shaking as he struggled to maintain the upper hand. Just as he shifted his weight to try and knock the man down, the man head-butted him, causing him to stumble backward a couple of steps.

The intruder lunged for Flynn, grappling his torso, lifting slightly to lift him off the ground before they both tumbled onto the cement floor. The two rolled around, trying to gain the upper hand over the other. Flynn's eye caught the dark shape of the gun off to his side and tried to reach for it but the intruder blocked his attempts by grabbing at his arms.

Flynn, on his stomach, turned just enough to elbow the man in the face, knocking him off of his back. He scrambled forward for the gun, only to see another pair of boots kick the gun away and the sounds of numerous rifles loading. He glanced up to see two more intruders staring at him in full gear, rifles aimed at him.

"I think that's enough," the closest said. "Get up."

Flynn slowly pushed himself up to his knees, hands held up defensively. He moved cautiously so the men wouldn't shoot him.

The man before him turned to the man Flynn had just been fighting and asked, "Hey man, you okay?"

The man Flynn had been fighting with groaned as he stood up. "Fine." He kicked the back of Flynn's knees as he tried to stand up, forcing him back to his knees. "Never better."

Flynn gritted his teeth as his knees connected painfully with the cement floor again, glancing over at his shoulder to glare at the man. If he didn't have two men with rifles trained on him, he would have killed this guy. With his eyes locked on the man he fought with, movement caused his eyes to quickly darted over to the familiar frame of Tenley who sat on the floor against the wall, clutching her left wrist - which he could now see was bleeding.

The man he grappled with grabbed Tenley under the elbow of the wounded wrist, jerking her to her feet. "Get up!" he shouted at her. She stumbled slightly, grimacing at the pain.

Flynn's stomach dropped as he saw the pigment of her skin paling. Something was very wrong with her. "Nine-" his words were cut off as one of the men with rifles slammed the butt of the weapon into his stomach, knocking the wind from his lungs, silencing him.

"Shut up!" the man shouted at Flynn. "Get up! Let's go!"

Flynn pushed himself back to his shaky feet, his dark eyes finding Tenley once more. He watched as the first man nearly dragged her toward the main living area. He turned his glare over to the other two.

He contemplated taking them on but he knew the risk in doing so. He knew even if he managed to take one of them down on his own, there were two more - one of whom had Tenley. It was too great of a risk and these men knew it. They pushed him down the hall, making sure he wouldn't attempt anything.

As the two were marched into the common living area, they spotted Mason sporting a fresh laceration above his right bruised eye, Jiya sat next to a bleeding Agent Christopher. Flynn's eyes scanned them, noting that Denise had a tourniquet wrapped around her leg. He knew that would buy them a little time.

Tenley was pushed into a chair more forcefully than Flynn would have liked. He saw the blood seeping between her fingers as she tried to stop the bleeding. He sat down across from her at the table, eyes studying her carefully. She didn't look up at him and looked a bit too pale - it worried him.

"Where are the others?" one of the men questioned.

Denise watched as they aimed their guns at Flynn, preparing to fire. She admitted, "They're on a mission…"

"When do they come back?"

"I don't know," she stated. "Whenever they finish whatever brought them there."

The intruders exchanged glances before saying, "We'll wait for them to return...take them out the moment they land."

Flynn's jaw jutted out as his mind raced with the idea of ripping these men apart piece by piece. He scanned each one of them, mentally sizing them up. As his eyes drifted by those on the couch, he stopped. Something had caught his attention.

Jiya watched as Flynn's heated gaze drifted slowly over the men surrounding them until he stopped on her. Her dark eyes widened before her head tilted at him, almost in question. She almost scoffed as his eyes dropped to her chest but saw the familiar red glow coming from her front shirt pocket.

It took everything within her power to keep from exclaiming out loud. She was happy that the others were coming back - but then she remembered the intruders in the room. Rufus, Wyatt, and Lucy would have no way of knowing they were coming back into an ambush. The panic rose faster than she could control it. Fear overtook her expression.

Just as soon as the realization of the transmitter turned on and the thoughts in Jiya's and Flynn's minds raced with what that meant, the alarms blared within the bunker.

The intruders aimed their rifles at the landing pad just before them. They watched as the time machine returned with a blast of air engulfing them all.

Fynn's eyes narrowed at the machine. It wasn't the Lifeboat. Instead, it was the same he had seen leaving them behind in the last mission in Steventon - the black Mothership lookalike with orange glowing lights.

The door to the evil-looking Mothership opened and the intruders fired at it. The bullets ricocheted off the time machine, causing everyone else to hunker down in place. The intruders stopped firing for a moment, glancing at each other when no one emerged.

The leader motioned for two of them to approach the machine while the others kept their weapons trained on them. Slowly moving towards the open door, the intruders raised their rifles, waiting for any signs of its occupants.

As they neared the door, almost stepping inside, the sounds of guns firing erupted. The residents of the bunker watched with horror as the intruders opened fire fully upon the time machine. They sunk down for cover, trying hard as might to avoid being shot in the crossfire.

Flynn tossed the table that separated him from Tenley aside, reaching for her. One hand grasped the back of her neck while the other snaked around her waist as he pulled her to the ground, using the table as cover, shielding her with his body.

He cradled her in his arms as the gunfight exploded behind them. He listened carefully with his trained ear - one of the intruders fell, then another, and another, until the only sounds he could hear were different guns loading and unfamiliar footsteps approached them.

"Sorry we're late," a familiar accented voice spoke above him. Flynn glanced up to see Rowan smiling down at him.

Glancing around the table, Flynn spotted all of the intruders had been eliminated and Rowan's men were already beginning to help the others. One in particular amongst Rowan's men that caught Flynn's eye was Future Rufus.

Flynn turned his attention back to Rowan. The two held each other's gaze before Rowan added with a sly smile widening, "Surprise."


	43. Planned Obsolescence

1955

"What did you just say?" Wyatt asked, blinking at the famed actor. He tried to recover from the bomb James Dean dropped onto them.

James's lips twisted with mild amusement as he stared back at the soldier. "You heard me."

"Why would we ever work with you?" Wyatt asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Wyatt knew he'd never in a million years cooperate with the enemy - he would admit that he was too stubborn to trust them, especially after everything they've done.

James opened his mouth to reply but the door to his trailer opened, allowing the bright sunlight to filter in. The heat from the outside engulfed the coolness of the trailer's interior the longer the door remained open.

The trailer rocked slightly as their company entered. Stopping halfway up the metal steps was Mack. He glanced about the four within the room, eyes wide. "Oh," he stammered. "I didn't realize you were … here…"

Wyatt growled, eyes still locked onto James Dean, "We were just leaving."

Lucy glanced up at him in shock. "We're what?"

Wyatt reached down and took her hand, pulling her to her feet. "We're going. It was a pleasure to meet you," he said, sarcasm dripping from the tone. James shook his head slightly at the soldier.

Rufus's eyes darted between his friends and the two men staring back at them. He wasn't sure what was happening but he knew arguing with Wyatt - especially when the man had made up his mind was impossible to convince him otherwise.

The trio moved toward the door of the trailer when Mack pulled a gun on them, closing the door before anyone could leave. "You're not going anywhere!"

"Whoa," Wyatt muttered, releasing his hold of Lucy as he raised his hands defensively. He made sure to keep himself between the gun and Lucy.

"Mack?" James began, standing up from the table. "What are you-"

"Shut up!" Mack told him. "I know all about your traitorous and disloyal behaviors!"

Rufus glanced between the two as he raised his hands, confused. "Are you two…" he paused as the light went off in his head. "Oh!"

Mack locked the door behind him, motioning for the three to sit down. "Now...I was ordered to handle things when the time was right," he admitted. "But since you three showed up, the timing got pushed forward."

"Time for what?" Wyatt asked. "What are you talking about?"

Mack sneered at Wyatt. "I know you're working with Homeland Security," he spat. "I know all about his defection to Bloodstone." He turned his gaze over to James. "And believe me, that's a betrayal that cannot be forgiven."

"What are you going to do, Mack?" James asked with a shrug.

Mack's eyes bounced around the room. "I'm going to be the hero of this story," he told the man. "I'm going to tell the authorities that you lot murdered James and I came in just a little too late…" he turned the gun back to Wyatt. "But not late enough to stop you and then I'll be seen differently in Carol's and Emma's eyes."

"The police will never believe you," Wyatt tried to say.

Mack laughed. "You forget the time you're in."

Rufus tilted his head slightly, silently agreeing with Mack. He knew how simple it was for the police to assume the truth based on who was involved. Chances were high they'd blame only him for everyone's death.

Mack smiled. "Don't worry," he began. "Carol sends her regards."

Rufus scoffed. "Wait, so you're Rittenhouse?" Rufus commented, eyes widening. "I thought you two were gay-" His voice drifted off when Mack shot him a glare that sent shivers down his spine.

"What? You didn't know?" Mack asked, clearly becoming amused. "You think you're the only one with a list of people who follow Bloodstone?"

"List?" James asked, eyes narrowing in confusion, glancing over to Wyatt and Rufus. "What list?"

"Oh, you really didn't know?" Mack asked, eyes darting back over to the actor. "Guess you are just a lowly grunt for Bloodstone." He laughed. "Which is amusing to me since you're so untouchable here…" with a shake of his head, he added, "It doesn't matter. Your name will be scratched off the list here soon enough."

He aimed his gun at the actor. Wyatt waited until he was certain the man was going to pull the trigger before he acted. He watched as Mack's finger started to squeeze around the trigger. He rushed forward, ignoring the gasps from Lucy and Rufus.

Mack's eyes darted toward the lunging Wyatt and surprise washed over his expression. He turned to try and aim his gun at the incoming soldier. Before Wyatt could reach him, another gun fired within the trailer.

Rufus and Lucy covered their heads with their hands, sinking to their knees. Wyatt grappled Mack, falling to the ground together. The moment he landed, he saw the lifeless eyes staring up at him. Sitting up from his tackle, he saw the blood seeping through Mack's plaid shirt.

Whirling around to glance over his shoulder, Wyatt spotted a small handgun in James's hand, still smoking slightly. He blinked as he stood up. "Nice shot…"

James nodded. "Carol can shove her regards up her-"

Panicked knocking pounded on the trailer door. "Mr. Dean! Mr. Dean! Are you alright in there?"

James blew a short breath from his lips as he set the gun onto the table. He walked over to the door, stepping over Mack's body. He unlocked and opened the door to his trailer, seeing a group of three men staring up at him with worry. "Gentlemen," he addressed the group of concerned men. "If you would be so kind as to ring the police, I have a situation."

"Right away, sir!"

He turned to the three and said, "I'm sorry you got yourselves wrapped up in all of this… perhaps after today's visit, you'll be more aware that the obvious villains aren't necessarily the real ones."

Lucy felt the words hit her and understood them immediately. She realized after speaking to Flynn when all of these time jumps began just how wrong she was about him. It wasn't until the mission with Jesse James that she realized Flynn wasn't the villain - but Rittenhouse.

James Dean's remarks made sense to her. She simply hoped the others would learn to understand them the way she did - one day perhaps, she could convince them to understand.

James blinked at them. "You should go while you can. I'll tell them something believable."

Wyatt didn't hesitate. He grabbed Lucy's hand and started leading her out of the trailer. Lucy forced Wyatt to stop next to James. She looked up at him, tears forming behind her eyes. "On September 30th, you're going to be in a horrific car crash," she told him. "Please make sure-"

He smiled knowingly. "Believe me, I already know."

Her brows drew together. "You...You know?"

He nodded. "Go," he said softly with a smile. "Get out of here while you still can."

Present Day

Flynn stood at his full height as he watched Rowan, Future Rufus, and the men that came with them, work on the wounded members of his team. His narrowed eyes held Rowan as he bandaged up Tenley's bleeding left wrist.

His dark eyes darted over to Future Rufus as he helped Agent Christopher with her leg. Mason's facial gash had been bandaged already and he was using an ice pack on his bruised eye. Jiya seemed to be staring at Future Rufus, a question lingering on her expression but she seemed hesitant to ask it. Flynn understood her predicament.

Turning back to Rowan, he watched as the man gently took hold of Tenley's wrist, cleaning it out before wrapping it with gauze. Rowan secured the bandage and before he released his hold of her, Flynn saw the man's thumbs gently rubbing her knuckles in a comforting sort of way.

Clenching his jaw, Flynn crossed his arms over his chest. "How is it you knew about this?" he pointed to the dead bodies Rowan's men had moved into the hallway near the exit of the bunk. "Who are they?"

Rowan cleared his throat as he stood up from the table. He glanced over to Agent Christopher and the others, all of whom were listening in on the conversation. "I thought it was obvious. This attack was Rittenhouse."

"Rittenhouse?" Agent Christopher repeated. "How did they find the bunker?"

Rowan nodded. "They've been searching for ye for quite some time," he explained. "Unfortunately, since Quinn stole the Mothership from them, they've been trying to track ye down to take the Lifeboat."

"You're saying they're going to try again?" Mason asked, lowering the ice from his face, horror washed over his expression. "To come here and take the Lifeboat away from us?"

Rowan nodded, placing his hands on his hips. "Now that they know where ye are, aye. There's no way to stop them from coming here again."

Agent Christopher rubbed her temple with her fingers briefly. "I'm going to have to talk to Homeland Security and see-"

"Ye can't go to them," Rowan warned.

"Excuse me?" Agent Christopher began.

Future Rufus glanced between the two before jumping in to speak, "There's a mole - several moles, actually - working within Homeland Security. We...I mean, you," he said, motioning to those within the bunker, "have suspected this for some time now. You can't trust any of them."

"Can you tell me who it is?" Denise asked, almost begging for an answer.

Rowan shook his head. "Right now, ye have bigger problems-"

"I think having spies within Homeland Security is a pretty big problem-" Denise argued.

Rowan shook his head again, motioning for her to stop talking. "Ye have to get out of the bunker while ye still can."

"And go where?" she questioned. "This was the most secure-"

"It's not anymore," Future Rufus interrupted. When all eyes landed on him, he shifted in his place awkwardly. "I mean...there's another place you could go…"

"Where is that?" Agent Christopher asked.

Future Rufus turned to look at Rowan, who in turn nodded for him to continue speaking. With a deep breath, Future Rufus said, "There's a compound we used at the beginning of this war-"

"We?" Jiya repeated.

Future Rufus nodded. "It's abandoned in your time," he stated. "And it won't be utilized until we move into it another 15 years from now."

"15 years?" Jiya gasped. "This war is still going on in 15 years?"

There was a sudden shift within Future Rufus's expression as he admitted sadly, "It's less a war and more survival at this point."

"What does that mean?" Mason questioned, lowering the ice pack from his bruised face a second time.

Future Rufus turned his gaze over to Jiya, mouth parting to speak but the words never emerged. Rowan exhaled as he admitted, "A lot of ye do not survive to see 15 years from now."

Jiya's mouth fell open at the admission. Her heart skipped a beat and her stomach dropped. She had memories of the last time Future Rufus came to see them and how he hugged her tight, happy to see her once more. She realized at this moment that she was one of those people who did not survive.

As she lifted her gaze back to meet Future Rufus's, she saw the sadness behind his tired old eyes. She felt the tears welling behind her own as she held his stare. He knew she finally figured it out.

Rowan licked his lips and said, "Nothing is set in stone as ye know. History can be changed and the future can be rewritten." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "There are a lot of things I wish we could tell all of ye - about all of what's to come but…" he shook his head, nearly frustrated that something was holding him back. "We can't...we can only do so much-"

"Then why are you here?" Flynn questioned, brows knitted together as he stared at the man. "Why come now?"

"If we hadn't come," Rowan began. "All of ye - and I mean, all of ye - would have been killed." He motioned over to where the Lifeboat normally sits. "Including those ye sent back in time."

Silence started to take hold of those in the bunker. Rowan cleared his throat, glancing at his watch. "We're running out of time-"

"You have to tell us what is going on!" Flynn demanded, his hands balled into fists as he lowered his arms from his chest. "You owe us at least that much-"

Rowan smirked at him. "We owe ye?" he chuckled. "No friend, we don't owe ye anything...we've already done far more than we should have."

Future Rufus turned to Agent Christopher. "I can give you the location of the compound but you cannot tell Homeland Security-"

"Rufus-"

"No," he snapped. "They are playing a part in this war...the more you trust them, the more they are going to help Rittenhouse." His eyes darted between Mason, Jiya, and Denise. "Please...trust me on this…" the pain was apparently behind his old brown eyes. "I never ask for anything. I'm asking for this."

Agent Christopher heard the pain behind his tone. She could see him pleading with her over this decision. She began to piece together that at least one of the three he stood before would die - maybe all three of them - if she didn't listen. With a heavy sigh, she nodded. "I'll consider it."

"Don't consider," he told her. "Trust me…" He could see Denise debating what to do. He shook his head softly. "I beg you...please…"

Rowan watched Future Rufus with the others, knowing he would give them the information needed to survive. He turned his gaze back to Tenley and offered a smile. "I wish I didn't have to leave ye so soon."

She gave a small nod and smile in return. "I understand-"

Rowan closed the gap between them, pulling her into an embrace. His blue eyes found Flynn's dark ones. He could see the waves of emotions washing over the man as he hugged Tenley. He pulled away, smiling at her once more. "We gotta go."

Flynn waited until Rowan had started walking back to their time machine before he stepped up next to Tenley. He glanced down at her, meeting her brief gaze before they turned to watch Rowan.

Rowan stopped a few feet away from the machine before turning back to the team. "Be careful," he warned them. "Rittenhouse will stop at nothing to get their hands on a machine. Take every precaution when traveling. I'd hate to see ye stranded somewhere." He gave a curt nod before looking back at Tenley. He motioned with his chin at her. "Keep a close eye on yer wrist."

Tenley glanced down at the bandaged wrist briefly before turning her gaze back to Rowan. The beeping within their machine echoed into the room.

"Rufus!" Rowan called out. "We have to go!"

Future Rufus finished scribbling information on a piece of paper before handing it over to Jiya. He held onto her hands a little longer, squeezing them gently as if he was soaking up all of her he could before he released her.

Jiya saw the pain behind his dark eyes as he forced himself to walk away from her. She blinked back tears. She had so many questions she wanted to ask him but time had slipped through her fingers. She hoped that Rowan was right about their futures not being written in stone. She wanted to make sure she lived long enough to keep Rufus from turning into this sad figure walking away from her.

Rowan nodded once more before they disappeared into the time machine. The door sealed behind them. With minimal whirring, the machine disappeared, blowing a blast of air around those remaining.

Those within the bunker visibly relaxed the moment they disappeared. Jiya glanced down to see the pen transmitter glowed red still. She pulled it from her pocket and smacked it against her open palm. She caught Mason's eye as she explained, "It's still lit-"

The Lifeboat popped into view, slamming into the ground as it landed. The wind whipped around them again as the whirring of the machine began to stop. The hatch opened and Lucy, Wyatt, and Rufus emerged.

The three slowly halted in their stride, noting the grim expressions of the others as well as the wounds most of them had. Wyatt's eyes drifted over to the numerous bodies lined up within the bunker's hallway. "What the hell happened here?"

Agent Christopher sighed. "It's a long story…"


	44. Game Over

Agent Christopher informed the returned three about what took place at the bunker while they were out on their mission. When she finished regaling them with the story, she asked them about what took place back in 1955.

Lucy quickly went through the details before excusing herself as she headed off to look up James Dean to see what happened after they left.

Wyatt's eyes remained on the bodies in the hallway. "What are you going to do about the bodies?"

Agent Christopher's lips twisted in thought. "I haven't decided yet."

Wyatt's brows drew together as he turned his gaze back to her. "What?"

Her dark eyes flitted over to his. "I have a lot of thinking to do-"

"What's to think about?" Wyatt questioned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Either we move to a different location and leave them here for Rittenhouse to find or we get them out of here-"

She motioned to him to stop talking. "I understand my options."

Wyatt scoffed, shaking his head. "Why would we stay here if we've been compromised? We should move locations," he paused, glancing about the immediate area. He didn't see Flynn nor Tenley. He added, "And I think we should leave Tenley behind."

"Wait, what?" Rufus gasped as he overheard the suggestion. "You can't be serious!"

Wyatt rolled his eyes slightly as he addressed Rufus. "What other option do we have? She probably told them where we were-"

"That's not fair," Rufus pointed out. "Why would she do that?"

"She lived with Rittenhouse for how long?"

"That doesn't make her a traitor-"

Denise stepped in between them. "We're not leaving anyone behind," she told them. "We still need to figure out what's happened and where this other location is and how secure it is."

"Are you planning on telling Homeland?" Rufus asked.

Denise hesitated. She wasn't sure what to do in regards to that. Rufus shook his head, brushing by her as he saw the doubt behind her eyes. He feared his future self was right - she'd kill them all if she told them. It wasn't the first time they had issues with a mole within Homeland Security.

Rufus marched into his room to find Jiya pacing, chewing on her thumbnail. He tilted his head slightly at her as he entered. "What's going on?"

Jiya turned to face him, dropping her hand away from her face. With a heavy sigh, she said, "I think we should listen to Future You and go to this other location."

Rufus sat down on the edge of their bed. "What makes you believe anything he - I - say?"

Jiya chewed on the inside of her lip before sitting next to him. "I think he's trying to help us…" she paused before whispering, "I think I might not be alive in the future."

"But we've seen you," Rufus told her.

She nodded. "I know but...who knows how far in the future I'm from," she said. "Future You insinuated that I'm not alive in 15 years."

Rufus took hold of her hands, rubbing her knuckles with his thumbs. "The future is never set in stone," he told her. "You know this - how many times have we changed history?"

Jiya gave him a half-smile. "I know we don't know how the future will unfold but…" she blew a small sigh from her lips. "If we end up working with Bloodstone in the future, what does that mean for us now?"

Rufus shook his head. "We aren't going to work with them-"

"How do you know that?" she asked. "We're considering using their hidden bunker."

Rufus sighed, letting his head fall. He knew Jiya was right. If they took the offer to use Bloodstone's hidden bunker off-site, they might have no other choice but to help them in the end - a favor for a favor sort of thing. If they stayed where they were, there was no saying how many more invasions Rittenhouse would do on their current location. He knew the risk was great - especially since Rittenhouse timed their assault when most of them were gone.

For the first time in a while, Rufus was afraid of what was coming.

Across the bunker, Lucy entered the infirmary where Tenley and Flynn were. The two glanced over to the door as Lucy entered. Lucy blinked at them. "Sorry," she muttered. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Are you okay?" Tenley asked, noticing the look of determination on her face.

Lucy nodded before motioning to the table. "I was hoping I could use your computer?"

Tenley's eyes darted over to the laptop that sat open on the table. "Sure…"

"Thanks." Lucy sat down, opening the browser. She typed in James Dean into the search engine. Her eyes scanned through the articles that popped up. She opened one randomly, scanning the stories before stopping at the section she had been searching for.

The article spoke about a fight between James Dean and his pit crew technician, Mack, over working conditions. Mack wanted to work less with more pay, and his schedule to be handled personally. James Dean claimed to have denied him all of his requests which led to Mack's nervous breakdown, threatening the actor at gunpoint. James had been cleaning his gun at the time - the one he carried for personal protection against crazed fans - when Mack burst into his trailer, threatening him. James shot him out of self-defense. According to the article, the police did a thorough investigation, resulting in that all was as stated by the actor. They didn't press any further into the matter.

Lucy continued further into the man's life, stopping on the familiar date of September 30th. He had been driving his prized sports car and still died in a car accident. Lucy reread the details, hoping to discover anything different - any small, insignificant detail that might have gone differently. She shook her head, sighing sadly as the hope dissolved from her being. "Nothing changed…"

"What's that?" Flynn asked.

Lucy swallowed, glancing up to meet his gaze. "I don't understand. He didn't even try to fix it-"

"What are you talking about?" Flynn asked.

"James Dean still died in that car crash," Lucy explained. "I told him about it and he chose to let it happen anyways…"

Flynn cocked his head at her. "I thought you said he was Bloodstone?" She nodded and he added, "Maybe he knew this was what had to happen? Maybe he had no other choice."

"I don't believe that," Lucy stated. "We all have a choice."

Flynn watched as Lucy stood up and left the infirmary, head hanging sadly. He turned back to face Tenley. He studied her face as he looked at her. She was deep in thought about something. "Nine? What's wrong?"

Hesitation washed over her. She wasn't sure how much to admit to him but eventually, she sighed. "Am I to blame for this?"

"For what?"

"For the attack here at the bunker?" she asked. "For the fighting between-"

"Hey," Flynn said softly, bringing his hands to her shoulders. "Hey, you're not to blame."

"Are you sure?" she questioned. "Because I get the sense that the tension between all of you is my doing...and the attack here-"

Flynn lowered himself slightly to look her in the eyes, making sure she held his gaze before he continued, "Listen, those men probably knew where we were for a while. An attack like that takes time to organize-"

She stepped back out of his reach. "How can you be so sure?" she asked, motioning toward the door. "We've seen people from the future so many times now that it makes me think these men might have been… I don't know...I…" she sighed, shaking her head in confusion.

Flynn could see the overwhelming emotions taking hold of her. He wanted to tell her for certain that nothing regarding the raid on the bunker was her fault but in truth, he didn't know. The timing would suggest it was a coincidence but he had some doubts too. Seeing her expression was enough for him to realize that she saw through him.

Stepping toward her again, he lifted her chin gently with his fingers, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Whatever happens, I want you to know that it's not your fault, Nine."

She closed her eyes, trying hard to keep her thoughts from burying her into a ball of tears.

He whispered, "We'll figure this out… like we always do." He pulled his hand away from her, adding, "And if it turns out that your friends are responsible for all of this, we'll deal with that when the time comes."

"What about me?"

"What about you?"

"What if it's me?" she reminded him. "What if I'm the cause of all of the trouble? Shouldn't I be locked away like Wyatt says?"

Flynn gritted his teeth, shaking his head slightly. "Our priority is to get you healthy," he told her. "Let's get your memory back and then we'll figure out what happens after." He studied her for a moment before asking, "Okay?" She nodded slightly and he offered a small smile. "Okay..."

Connor Mason wrapped some fresh ice in a towel before placing it gently on his bruised face. He turned toward Agent Christopher. "What are we going to do about the uh…" he motioned down the hall where the bodies of their attackers were lined up, "morgue?"

Denise blinked at him from her spot on the sofa. She felt the pain in her leg from the shot she took earlier throbbing. "As much as everyone is against it, I need to inform my superiors in Homeland Security."

"And then what?" Mason asked, readjusting his ice.

"I suppose we'll find a new site to hole up in-"

"What about the one Bloodstone offered-"

"Oh," she rolled her eyes, "not you too, Connor-"

Mason lifted a shoulder. "I think we should consider it," he admitted. "After all, they did come to our aid - numerous times, I suspect. Shouldn't we at least consider the possibility that they might be our allies in this?"

"Do you really believe that?" Denise asked, giving him a disbelieving look.

Mason tilted his head slightly. "I think in our current predicament, yes. I do." He walked away, leaving her to ponder his words alone.

That evening while everyone slept, the guards Agent Christopher eventually requested from Homeland Security paced outside of the bunker. Six armed men stood watch at the entrance, keeping a keen eye out for any more intruders. It was quiet - not even a breeze blew through the evening air.

As the guards began to walk through their shift change, one of them crumpled to the ground. The group of five stared at the body, stunned. When a second body fell, the remaining four raised their weapons, realizing they were under attack. None of them managed to spot their attacker. Whoever was out there took them all out, one at a time, bringing the entire force down with ease.

One lone guard crawled toward the door to sound the alarm when a pair of black combat boots stepped up to him. Slamming one foot onto his back, stopping him from moving further, the attacker fired a single round into the back of the man's head.

A small whistle cut through the silent evening, telling the others lying in wait to move into the bunker. One of them stopped by the first, staring down at the man who had been executed. "A little harsh, don't you think, Emma?"

Emma glared at the man. "Don't be soft," she chided him. "It's unbecoming." She motioned with her head for him to continue moving into the bunker, eyes blazing with disapproval as she stared at him.

The man nodded curtly before following the wave of soldiers into the bunker, gun aimed before him. Emma glanced over her shoulder, making sure all of her men had gone ahead of her. She raised her gun and entered in behind them.

Emma's team moved quickly through the bunker, disarming the alarms as a precaution. Three men moved straight through to the spot the Lifeboat sat. The others broke off moving swiftly through the hallways that led deeper into the bunker. Emma stepped into the main living room, staring at the Lifeboat - almost like seeing an old friend. A sly smile grew across her face as she studied the machine.

Emma smirked as she pulled out her cell phone from her pocket. She punched a couple of buttons before bringing it up to her ear. The other end rang a few times before a groggy voice finally answered.

"Good morning, Agent Christopher," Emma said, her smile spreading wider across her face, her tone clearly amused. "Sorry to wake you." Emma started walking through the bunker. "Do you know where I am?" she asked.

She turned a corner and peered into a room. "Well, I hate to be the one to break the news to you but Connor Mason is dead." She could see the man's body still in bed, his covers soaked with fresh blood. Emma's man was in the process of scouring through Mason's things.

She chuckled softly as she moved further into the bunker, stopping at the door to another room. "Oh, you'd be surprised. If it helps, it looks like good ol' Wyatt put up quite the fight...not good enough though." She chuckled into the receiver before saying, "Poor Princess Lucy didn't...not that that's a surprise." Lucy was splayed out on the bed, bleeding out across the covers. Wyatt's body was crumpled in the middle of their room. Emma glanced at her man, seeing him adjusting his gear. She rolled her eyes, knowing Wyatt almost took the guy down.

"Oh, I'm still here," Emma told her. "It won't matter, you know. By the time you get anyone here, it will be too late." She stopped across the hall. "Just like it's too late for Rufus and his little girlfriend." Rufus's body was over Jiya's, protectively so. He took the brunt of the attack.

Emma sighed, turning and heading into the infirmary. She spotted Tenley and Flynn. Flynn managed to take out one of her men before the others had killed him, shooting him through the chest five times. Tenley appeared to have been caught in the crossfire as she slid down the wall, leaving a streak of blood behind in her wake. "No, not even Flynn was a match against our forces. No one survived, Agent Christopher."

She stepped out of the infirmary. Her eyes darted over to a couple of her men speaking in hushed whispers near Rufus's room. Her brows knitted together briefly. "I also wanted to thank you for giving us your time machine. Don't worry, I'll take good care of it."

Without letting Agent Christopher respond, she hung up on her. She looked at the two men standing in the doorway. "Problem?"

The two glanced over at her. One shifted in his place. "She's still alive."

Sighing heavily, she crossed the room, stopping at the door. "Why didn't you just take care of it?" When neither said anything, she rolled her green eyes. "Never mind, I'll do it." She pushed her way into the room. She saw Rufus's body had been pushed slightly off of Jiya.

Jiya was covered in Rufus's blood, suffering from minor wounds. She glanced up at Emma, her dark eyes widening. "Emma…"

"Should have played dead a little longer," Emma told her. "You might have just survived…"

"Please-"

Emma shook her head slightly. "Sorry. You chose the wrong side." She lifted her gun at Jiya and pulled the trigger, striking the girl in the head.

Emma lowered her gun and turned to her men. "Double check that they are all dead. Then finish the task at hand."

"Yes, ma'am."

Emma pushed by them, heading back to the Lifeboat. She climbed into it, three of her men followed her in. She strapped into the pilot's chair and flipped the switches on. She took a deep breath in, reacquainting herself with the old machine. The hatch closed and they disappeared from the bunker.


	45. Dimension Breach

Rufus nearly fell out of bed when Jiya bolted upright, screaming bloody murder. He caught himself, rushing to her side as he gripped her shoulders. "Jiya! Jiya!"

His wide eyes stared at her in a state of sheer panic. His mouth hung open as he realized Jiya's eyes were completely white. He knew what this was; he had seen this before. She was having a vision - one she couldn't snap out of willingly.

The heavy door to his room flew open, slamming into the wall opposite as the rest of the bunker rushed in. Wyatt and Flynn both armed with guns, aimed before them for whatever they might discover. They lowered their weapons when they saw Jiya staring at the ceiling, eyes white with a vision.

"What's happening?" Tenley asked, staring at her. The fear on the doctor's face reminded Rufus of people in horror movies. He would have commented on it if he wasn't terrified for Jiya.

"She's having a vision," Lucy explained briefly. She couldn't think of anything else to say as she stared at Jiya.

"Vision?" Tenley repeated, completely confused.

Lucy nodded. "I've never seen it like this before though."

"Someone should call Agent Christopher," Mason suggested.

"I'll do it," Lucy offered, fleeing the room.

Rufus gently shook Jiya, trying to break her out of the hold this vision had on her. "Jiya?" he whispered, his voice cracking. "Baby?"

Jiya's body finally went limp in his arms, her eyes fluttered closed. Rufus lowered her back into the bed, leaning over her. He brushed her hair out of her face as he studied her. "Jiya?"

After a few moments, Lucy returned. "Agent Christopher is coming as soon as she can." Her eyes darted over to the bed. "How is she?"

"Jiya?" Rufus whispered. "Come on...wake up…"

Tenley inched her way forward. Wyatt grabbed her wrist, stopping her. She whirled around to look at him. Wyatt hissed, "What do you think you're doing?"

Tenley tugged at her wrist, trying to break free of Wyatt's hold. "I need to check on her-"

"No," Wyatt said, voice firm. "You don't."

"Get your hand off of her," Flynn growled. Wyatt glanced up at him, silently sizing the man up. Flynn's glare was enough to make most cower and even Wyatt could see Flynn's desire to protect Tenley if he had to. He released his hold.

Tenley glanced between the two before stepping up to the bed. She reached over carefully and felt for a pulse. "Her heart is racing."

"Jiya?" Rufus pleaded. "Come on, don't do this…"

"Has she done this before?" Tenley asked.

Rufus nodded. "A couple of times…" With tears running down his cheeks, he looked at Tenley. "Help her…Please."

She nodded back. "I'll be right back," she told him. She stood up and turned to the others. "She needs rest. I'll let you know how she's doing later." She started out of the room.

"Where do you think you're going?" Wyatt questioned.

Calling over her shoulder, she answered, "To get some supplies from my room." She disappeared down the hall.

Mason looked up at Flynn. "Seems she's remembering some things."

Flynn blinked at the remark but remained silent. He wasn't sure. She had done a few things already that reminded him of how she was before but whether she was remembering or not, he couldn't say. He still held hope she was getting her memory back but only time would say for certain.

Lucy said, "We should leave...give them some privacy." She ushered the others out of the room, leaving Rufus and Jiya alone. Tenley returned and entered the room with her supplies, getting to work.

The others headed to the main living area. Flynn set to work on making coffee for the bunker. They sat down, silently worrying over Jiya and waiting for Agent Christopher to arrive.

"I thought she had those visions under control?" Wyatt asked.

Mason sipped his coffee. "This was one of the worst ones we've seen from her yet."

Lucy's thumbs drummed against her mug as she stared into it, deep in thought. "I can't shake the sound of her scream…" she brushed her hair out of her face, sniffling slightly, "whatever she saw must have been awful."

"Are you sure we should be letting her work on Jiya?" Wyatt questioned, motioning with his mug toward the hallway. "I mean, she isn't exactly all there-"

Flynn shot him a warning glance. He didn't get the chance to retort before Rufus came trudging into the room. His cheeks were wet from tears, eyes puffy, and red. He rubbed the back of his neck as he neared the others.

"How is she?" Lucy asked.

Flynn held out his untouched coffee mug to Rufus who took it. Rufus stated, "She's uh… she's seizing…" his voice cracked. "It's bad...like, worse than bad… I… I don't know…" Lucy darted to her feet, crossing the room to embrace him. He half-heartedly hugged her back. "I can't lose her…"

"What happened?" Agent Christopher's voice asked loudly as she marched quickly into the room. "Lucy told me something happened to Jiya?" She looked over to Rufus and saw the turmoil in his expression. "Is she all right?"

Another voice spoke behind the group. "She's stable."

Everyone glanced over to see Tenley standing there, scanning the group. "I managed to get her seizures under control but without the proper equipment, I don't know how much damage she's endured." She sighed, looking over at Rufus. "You said, she's done this before?"

He pulled away from Lucy's tight embrace, nodding. "Yeah, but she learned to control them. She...she hadn't had one in quite a while…"

Tenley nodded slowly, taking in his words. "I'll keep an eye on her but…" she licked her lips, voice barely a whisper, "if you're the praying sort, I'd start now…" She turned and headed back to Jiya's room.

Rufus couldn't contain his emotions any longer as he broke down into sobs, falling to his knees in the middle of the room, cradling his mug. Flynn placed his hand on the man's shoulder, silently offering support.

Wyatt sighed. "What's the plan?"

Agent Christopher turned her gaze over to the soldier. "We should wait until Jiya wakes up-"

Wyatt closed the gap, whispering, "And if she doesn't?" His eyes darted over to Rufus, hoping he didn't hear the question. Rufus buried his face in his hands as he sobbed. Lucy passed his mug over to Flynn before comforting Rufus.

Agent Christopher turned her brown eyes back to the blue ones waiting on an answer. "I don't know yet. Let's hope she wakes up."

"We shouldn't wait," Wyatt warned her. "You didn't hear her screams…" he took a deep breath, shaking his head, "It sounded like she was being murdered."

Denise's face twisted with concern, eyes darting back to Rufus. She shook her head. "Then let's discuss our options," she said, turning back to him, "without the critical remarks this time?"

Wyatt shifted in his place, knowing she was referring to his behavior before. He nodded to keep the peace but knew if it came down to it, he'd have to be firm with pushing them toward safety.

The next few hours were spent checking in on Tenley and Jiya and discussing the options available to the team. Tempers flared during the conversations, forcing them to take frequent breaks. They were no closer to reaching an answer on their next course of action than they were when they started the debate.

Eventually, Tenley entered the room to provide them with an update. "She's awake now."

Rufus didn't wait for permission as he ran from the room to join Jiya. Agent Christopher followed, giving Tenley a small thankful smile as she passed by.

Tenley's eyes lifted to meet Flynn's. "How have things been out here?" she asked as he neared her. "Sounded intense."

"You heard that, did you?"

She nodded. "Hard not to," she admitted. "You guys got so loud even Jiya asked about it."

"How is she doing?" he asked, slowly walking next to her as they meandered toward Rufus's room.

Tenley blew a heavy sigh from her lips. "Honestly? I don't know...She could have some brain damage and I'd never know it because of…" she motioned around them as if that was the only explanation needed.

Flynn nodded he understood as they entered Jiya's room. Everyone had gathered around the bed to see if she was okay.

Agent Christopher held her hands up, asking for everyone to quiet down. "What happened, Jiya?"

"I don't think now is the time for-" Tenley tried to say. Wyatt shot her a look, silently ordering her to stay out of it. Tenley shrunk back behind everyone, head hanging low.

Jiya swallowed as she shifted in her seated position. "It was awful," she started. "I...I saw Emma-"

"Emma?" Agent Christopher repeated.

Jiya nodded. "She murdered some guards you brought in to protect the bunker." Agent Christopher stood up straight, glancing over at Wyatt. She hadn't ordered anyone over yet, though she had entertained the idea. Jiya continued, "She brought in a group of armed men and she slaughtered everyone...took the Lifeboat…" she broke down in tears as she admitted, "It felt so real...the blood - so much blood!"

Lucy turned to Denise. "What do we do? If her vision is something to come, shouldn't we get out of here?"

Wyatt shrugged. "I agree, getting most of you out is the thing to do," he began. "But I also think we can use this to our advantage."

"How so?" Agent Christopher asked, glancing over at him.

"We set up an ambush," he stated. "We take her down as she makes her approach-"

Agent Christopher shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea-"

"Why not?" he argued. "I can lead a task force to ambush them, you just have to give me the men to do it."

"And if it fails?" she countered.

"And if it succeeds?" he retorted. "We'd have the Lifeboat. We'd have Emma! We'd have Rittenhouse! Doesn't that mean anything anymore?"

Flynn thought over Wyatt's plan. He wanted to agree to it. He wanted nothing more than to take Rittenhouse down - to take Emma down for everything she had done - but something told him this was what they wanted. Something simply didn't sit well with him. He shook his head. "I don't think this is a wise approach."

Wyatt scoffed, tossing his hands up in frustration. "Seriously? I thought out of all of us, you'd be on board."

He shook his head. "No offense to our little oracle here," he said, motioning over to Jiya, "but I can't help but think this is orchestrated by Rittenhouse. Maybe they want us to wait for them, plan an ambush...the details simply don't align-"

"Since when are you against murder?" Wyatt spat. Lucy hissed at him under her breath, trying to stop him from starting a fight.

Tenley's eyes bounced over to Flynn after Wyatt's remark. "Murder?"

Flynn's eyes closed as his heart sank. Wyatt's head fell to his chest, realizing he shouldn't have said anything - forgetting that Tenley didn't remember much in regards to everyone's backstory.

Flynn turned to face her. "I can explain-"

She stared at him before glancing at the rest. "I need a minute…" she bolted from the room, heading to the infirmary.

Flynn's jaw tensed as he turned to face Wyatt, eyes flashing in anger at the man. Wyatt shook his head as he said, "I'm sorry…I forgot-"

Agent Christopher raised her hands, stopping the conversation from going further. "Right now," she said diplomatically, "we need to figure out what to do." Her eyes darted over to Flynn. "I agree that lying in wait for them is not the right thing to do." Wyatt rolled his eyes, disapproving of her decision. She exhaled sharply as she admitted, "I think we need to strongly consider using the Bloodstone location."

"What?!" the other shouted. They talked over one another, trying to be heard over the others.

Agent Christopher held her hands up, shouting over them, "Listen!" Once they started to settle, she sighed. "You don't want me to inform Homeland Security because you're afraid of the moles." She glanced at them. "You don't want me to stay here because of the vision. You've been pushing me to use this Bloodstone location and now that I'm entertaining the idea, you're mad at me?"

The team looked anywhere but at Agent Christopher. They felt ashamed in their reactions. She had a point. They had been pushing to leave the bunker but now that it was a high possibility, they couldn't stand behind it - and they couldn't explain why.

Denise sighed. "You have put me in a difficult position. What would you have me do? Do you want me to notify Homeland? Would you rather find somewhere else to hole up in?"

Flynn scratched his jaw. He turned his gaze over to Jiya. "Any idea on how they found us to begin with?"

"Why would she know?" Wyatt questioned.

"Maybe in her vision, she found the answer?" Flynn pointed out.

Jiya thought for a moment, shaking her head. "No...Just that they had found us…"

Flynn nodded, turning his gaze back to Denise. "There's no way of knowing when this assault will take place," he told her. "I'd rather not be here when they decide to storm the castle."

Agent Christopher watched as he exited the room, making his way down the hall. She sighed, looking at the others. "I'm open to suggestions." She motioned toward Flynn. "I have one vote to leave."

Flynn headed to the infirmary where he knew he'd find Tenley. He saw the closed door. He reached for the handle and tried to turn it, finding it locked. He knocked on the door. "Nine?" There was no answer. He knocked again, feeling his heart begin to race. "Nine?" Another knock, this one more urgent. "Tenley? Are you okay in there?" He could hear shuffling through the door. His heart slammed against his chest as the panic rose within him. His mind raced with thoughts of missing one of the intruders from earlier. He knocked again, wiggling the knob aggressively. "Tenley! Open up!" He heard the shuffling again, things being moved about. "I'll kick the door in-"

The door unlocked but didn't open; he heard shuffling moving away from the door. He glanced at the handle, carefully turning it. He pushed the door open, eyes darting about the room. His eyes noticed drops of blood on the floor leading over to the sink and trash can that sat just below it. His eyes followed the trail of blood drops over to the small table where he saw more blood pooling on the surface.

He pushed the door open further, spotting Tenley sitting at the table. Her hands were soaked in blood up to her wrists, a scalpel in her right hand, fresh blood running down her left wrist, both hands trembling. Her face streaked with tears and a couple of bloody smudges across her brow and cheek. He glanced back to the table, seeing some gauze soaking up the mess.

His mouth fell open as he rushed in, grabbing gauze with one hand, the scalpel from her hand with the other, tossing it onto the table. He gripped her left wrist tight with the hand holding the gauze. "Nine? What the hell are you doing?" his voice firm but laced with worry. "What were you thinking?"

"I...it's not-," she tried to tell him, voice shaking. She hissed in pain as he applied pressure to her wrist. She tried to pry his fingers off but he stopped her with his other hand.

"Tell me what this is about," he said, trying to control his emotions, though his tone showed the struggle of doing so, "because from where I'm sitting...this doesn't look good."

She swallowed, keeping her eyes from looking up at him. "I know...I know how this looks…"

He gritted his teeth. He worried and feared for her. "Were you trying to kill yourself?"

"No," she retorted. She tried to pry his hands off her again.

"Stop," he warned her. When she didn't, his voice cut through her as he repeated sharply, "Nine! Stop it!"

Her dark eyes widened, mouth falling open. She blinked the tears from her eyes as her shoulders fell forward. "I…" she sighed defeated, "I can explain…"

"Looking forward to it," he told her gruffly, swapping gauze pads out. He noticed the bleeding was slowing down. He could see that she'd need stitches. His heated and worried gaze bore into her soul.

"You can't get angry-" she saw the look on his face grow darker, so she added, "any more than you already are…"

He sighed, leaning back in his chair, releasing his hold of her. He looked almost defeated. He remained silent, waiting for her to speak. Inside, he was telling himself to hear her out before lecturing her any further.

Her tongue darted out, wetting her lips as she turned her gaze down to her bleeding wrist. She started to pull the blood-soaked gauze away. She glanced up at him, seeing the look of disapproval washing over his face. She turned back to her wrist, reaching for the scalpel.

He grabbed her right wrist again, keeping her from it. He tilted his head at her in a silent warning. She blinked at him, reassuring him to trust her. He released his hold of her, leaning forward to see what she clearly wanted him to see.

She used the tip of the scalpel to pry open the cut. "I've been struggling to do this on my own," she confessed. "It's why it's so messy in here…" She pushed the tip down, wiggling it further in, hissing in pain.

Flynn reached forward to stop her when he spotted a small flashing light breaking past the blood. He froze. His eyes widened as he pulled the chair closer to her, gazing into her wound. He blinked, wondering if he had imagined it but when he saw it again, he bolted to his feet, and toward the cabinets.

Opening the drawers, he dug around, finding the tweezers. He brought them back, sitting down next to her. He leaned over her wrist, tweezers at the ready as he looked for the light again.

Flynn muttered, "This is going to hurt," his eyes lifting to meet hers, "and I'm sorry-"

"Just get it over with," she said, voice barely a whisper. She gave him a reassuring nod, letting him know it was going to be okay.

His eyes darted back to his task. He pushed the tweezers deeper into her wrist, earning a painful hiss from her. He hoped it would be easier to simply grab whatever was in her wrist but he struggled. He understood now why there was more blood than the task warranted. It was jammed in there tightly. He pressed the tweezers deeper, another whimper from her.

He lifted his eyes quickly to assess Tenley. She was biting her lip, eyes squeezed shut. He sighed, turning back to her wrist. Determined, he took the scalpel from her and used it to aid him in his task. He spotted the flash of light again.

After a couple of minutes, he managed to grab it with the tweezers. He wiggled it back and forth to dislodge it from its resting place. He felt it give and pulled it out slowly, squeezing tightly so not to drop it.

Through tears, Tenley blinked at the flashing light coming from the acorn sized device Flynn managed to remove from her wrist. She grabbed the gauze, pressing it over the open wound. She released a heavy sigh, resting back in her chair.

Flynn stared at the blinking lights. He dropped it into a cup full of water. He turned to face her. "This is what we're going to do," he started. "I'm going to stitch up your wrist and then you have my full attention."

She nodded, blinking the remaining tears away. She watched as he grabbed the supplies needed to stitch her up. Once he was back, setting up, he lifted his gaze to her. She swallowed and admitted, "I had a hunch-"

"A hunch?" he repeated, pulling the thread through the needle. "Quite the gut."

She shook her head. "It was something Rowan said," she stated. "I couldn't get his words out of my head and then Jiya's vision happened and-"

"What did he say?"

"To keep a close eye on my wrist," she said. Another heavy sigh escaped her lips as she explained, "I went on a mission with Quinn - Rowan's brother - and when we returned, I had a bandage on my wrist...I didn't even remember being injured. Quinn acted weird about it and then Rowan made that comment and...I don't know...I guess I always sort of suspected something but it was Jiya's vision that made me really wonder."

Flynn kept his eyes on her wrist as he started to stitch her up. "So, instead of asking for help," he started. "You decided to hack your wrist up?"

"No one trusts me," she reminded him. "How would that have gone over if I told them that I think there's some device in my wrist that might lead Rittenhouse to our step? One that I don't know if it's in there or not?" She scoffed. "Wyatt would have shot me on sight - hell, he might still."

Flynn gritted his teeth. She had a point, he had to give it to her. Wyatt would have exploded if she had come to them for help. He shook his head, unable to blame her for how she chose to handle the situation. "You could have come to me," he told her. "I would have helped."

"I've seen the way you look at me when you think I'm not looking," she confessed. "You look at me with expectations-"

"I don't mean to-"

"I can't remember what you want me to," she continued. "I'm trying to but maybe I'm not meant to-"

He shook his head, stopping his sewing. "I don't believe that," he told her. "I don't think you do either. I've seen you do things here that you used to do before this-"

She scoffed, shaking her head. "Like what?"

"You've jumped straight into your medical mode," he stated, "without hesitation, like it was second nature to you, because it is, Nine." She opened her mouth to retort when he kept going. "The tea? You knew exactly where to find the tea bags...you didn't know that when you first came here but you behaved like it was something you did all the time."

She studied his face, seeing his hope behind his eyes. "Maybe I am remembering slowly," she whispered. "Or maybe it's luck-"

He nodded slowly. He could see that she was afraid. He reminded himself to be empathetic to her needs and her situation. He couldn't force his hopes onto her. This was a process - a potentially long one at that. He lifted his gaze to meet hers. "I'm sorry." His voice was soft and gentle. He studied her for a moment, trying to reassure her that everything would be better soon. He wasn't sure if she believed him or not. Finally, he looked down at her wrist. "Let's get you patched up, shall we?"


	46. Enchanted Halls

In the main living area, Denise's dark eyes drifted about the bunker. The decision weighed heavily on her mind. She knew what she had to do - it was in the best interest of those around her. She worried about the ramifications of doing something without the approval of her superiors but the others had a point. Someone was working for Rittenhouse, and maybe even Bloodstone, within Homeland Security. It was probably better to ask for forgiveness over permission in this situation.

She licked her lips, turning to face Connor Mason, Jiya, and Wyatt. "Do we still have the location for this secret Bloodstone place?"

"You're really going to do it?" Mason questioned, raising an eyebrow at her. "What about Homeland-"

She shook her head. "You're right," she sighed with a shrug, "I've been doing this by the book for so long," she admitted. "Maybe I'm the reason for this attack and possibly the next one. I will support the decision to move and ask for permission after the fact."

"When do we leave?" Wyatt questioned, crossing his arms over his chest. "What should we be packing?"

Agent Christopher held a hand out to make him wait. "We should have this conversation with everyone present." She eyed him carefully before emphasizing, "Everyone..."

Wyatt motioned down the hall with one hand. "Then let's do that." He marched down the hall to gather the others. He poked his head into his room, spotting Lucy. "Hey," he told her. "We've got a meeting."

Lucy's brows knitted together but nodded. She followed him out into the hall. She glanced over to see Mason and Christopher entering Jiya's room. She followed them.

Wyatt pushed the infirmary door open. "Hey-" his voice halted mid-sentence. His eyes darted about the bloody scene within. "What the hell happened?"

Flynn turned his gaze from a nervous looking Tenley to a suspicious Wyatt. "I took care of it."

"Oh, you did, did you?" Wyatt challenged him. "Want to explain why it looks like a warzone in here?" He motioned with his chin toward Tenley's bound wrist. "What's wrong with your wrist?"

Flynn stood up before Tenley had a chance to respond. He stepped in the path of Wyatt's view. "I told you," he said, voice laced with a warning. "I took care of it."

Wyatt studied Flynn for a moment, sizing him up. He scoffed, shaking his head. "Right. Whatever." He scratched the back of his head before saying, "Agent Christopher wants a meeting. It's going to be in Rufus's room."

Flynn waited until Wyatt left before he turned around to look at Tenley. He could see the subtle fear behind her eyes as she gazed at him. She shook her head, motioning toward the place Wyatt stood moments before. "He's going to kill me."

Flynn shook his head. "He won't."

She shot him a look - the same that said she didn't believe him. He reached out to help her out of the chair. The two walked across the hall and into Rufus's room where the others had gathered.

The moment the two entered Rufus's and Jiya's room, all eyes landed on them. Tenley started to slink behind Flynn but he kept his firm yet gentle grip on her, keeping her next to him. He didn't want her to feel like she had to hide behind him when they were around the others. She was just a part of this team than any of them - maybe more so.

Agent Christopher turned her attention to everyone gathered. "We have a decision to make." She placed her hands on her hips. "I need an honest answer," she told them, "because it is unfair of me to make the call when everyone's lives are at stake." Her dark eyes darted about the others. "So...what's it going to be?"

Flynn scanned the room before clearing his throat to speak. "I'd rather we find somewhere else to hole up in," he admitted. "If Jiya's vision holds true," he glanced over at her, "and she hasn't been wrong yet...then I think we need to consider the options before us."

Jiya gave Flynn a small thankful smile. She hadn't expected him to be supportive and believing in her. She nodded as she turned her gaze back to Agent Christopher. "I agree with Flynn."

"Seriously?" Wyatt scoffed.

Rufus shot Wyatt a look. "I agree with Flynn, too...I don't want to tempt fate any more than we do already. I want to get out before her vision happens and we all die."

"We wouldn't all die-" Wyatt started.

Rufus glared at the soldier. "We. All. Die." He scoffed, shaking his head. "If it were Lucy here," he motioned to Jiya in bed, "instead of Jiya, would you be more agreeable?"

"I think we can plan an ambush-" Wyatt started.

Rufus interrupted him, "And what happens when they come again? Or again after that? Are you planning to lie in wait all the time to prevent them from murdering all of us in our sleep?"

Wyatt opened his mouth to speak but Denise raised her hands to stop them. "This isn't a debate," she said. "Right now, we need to discuss our options. I have three willing to leave. Wyatt clearly wants to stay."

Mason's eyes lingered on the exhausted frame of Jiya. He lifted his eyes to Rufus, seeing the fear for the woman he loved on his face as he silently begged Mason to do the right thing. Mason already knew his answer. Without breaking eye contact with Rufus, he said, "Leave."

Denise nodded slowly, unsurprised by Mason's answer. Her eyes drifted past Wyatt to Lucy. Lucy shifted in her place, her dark eyes struggling to avoid Wyatt's heated gaze. She licked her lips before a small sigh escaped her. "Leave…"

"What?" Wyatt gasped. "You can't be serious-"

"It makes sense, Wyatt," Lucy tried to say.

"Did you forget what Bloodstone did?" Wyatt asked. He motioned over to Tenley as he continued, "Did you forget they were looking for you and confused you with her?" Lucy opened her mouth to reply but he kept going, "Did you forget they tried to kill her thinking she was you?" He turned to the others, ignoring the confused look on Tenley's face as he shouted, "Am I seriously the only one who remembers how many times Bloodstone has tried to kill us?"

Mason was the first to speak. "But they haven't in quite some time…"

"So, that makes it all better?" Wyatt questioned, arms falling to his sides in frustration.

Rufus's head cocked with a thought. "Actually, Mason's got a point." When all eyes turned to look at Rufus, he stated, "Think about it for a moment… when we first heard about Bloodstone, Emma said they were contacts of theirs...then we discovered they separated from Rittenhouse, fighting for control over the other. One of the Bloodstone agents mentioned it was Carol's organization, right?" He paused long enough to take in everyone's confused looks. He sighed, shaking his head, trying to gather his conflicting thoughts. "Future Jiya mentioned we were working with Bloodstone and Quinn mentioned he stole the documents Carol was working on-"

Mason finally caught up with Rufus's train of thought. "You're suggesting that the head of Bloodstone has changed hands over the course of our meeting them…" he scoffed as he shook his head slightly. "My God, it does make sense."

Wyatt glanced between the two. "Would someone please share with the rest of us in simpler terms?"

Mason stepped forward, taking the lead. "Our future is decided by our actions in the present, correct? What Rufus is trying to say is our decisions have not only helped Bloodstone come into play but it would appear, they have also changed who has been in control."

A silence fell over the room. Wyatt crossed his arms over his chest. "You're saying we're never going to know who is behind Bloodstone?"

"I didn't say that-"

Wyatt cut him off. "If our actions are always changing the person-"

"I didn't say-"

"You realize we're never going to figure it out then-"

It was Mason's turn to finally interrupt Wyatt. "I never said we'd never figure out who is behind it. I simply said it is possible that the leadership has changed because of our actions."

Wyatt ran a hand through his hair. "I miss the simple days of chasing Flynn through time - no Rittenhouse, no Bloodstone - just a simple mission-"

Flynn licked his lips, shaking his head. He wanted to get the conversation back on track. The last thing he needed was Wyatt to reminisce about his time labeled as a 'terrorist'. "What's the verdict then?"

Denise looked at everyone. With a heavy sigh, she shook her head. "It would appear that only two are in favor of staying."

"So," Rufus began, drawing the word out. "We're leaving?"

She nodded aimlessly. "I guess so. I'll give you a couple of hours to pack up what you need." She turned to Rufus. "Do you still have the location?"

Rufus nodded, approaching Agent Christopher. She looked over to Wyatt and Flynn. "Get geared up," she told them. "Rufus will pilot us to the site and we will clear it out."

Wyatt's eyes brightened with the order, clearly happy to hear it. He brushed by the others, not looking at any of them.

Flynn turned to gaze at Tenley briefly. He could see the panic behind her eyes. He smiled at her reassuringly. "It'll be okay."

"What if it's a trap?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Something tells me that Rowan wouldn't set up a trap for us."

"How do you know?" she questioned.

Flynn grasped her shoulders gently, squeezing them slightly to comfort her. "Because he loves you too much to do something like that." He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, lips brushing her skin as he whispered, "I'll be back before you know it." He released his hold on her and marched out of Jiya's room to gear up for the mission ahead. Rufus followed him out after kissing Jiya goodbye.

Agent Christopher looked at those remaining. "Pack up whatever you can. When things are cleared out and secured, we'll start moving our things to this new place."

Tenley and Lucy followed Denise out into the main living area where the others had begun climbing into the Lifeboat. Lucy's eyes drifted over to the rigid frame of Wyatt in combat gear. She knew he was mad at her for suggesting they leave the bunker but she knew it was the right choice.

Tenley watched as Flynn turned to gaze at her. He offered another small reassuring smile before he climbed into the Lifeboat behind Wyatt.

Agent Christopher was the last into the Lifeboat. The hatch closed and the machine disappeared.

Lucy glanced over at Tenley. She saw the girl's expression and closed the gap between them. She wrapped her arms around Tenley's shoulders. "It'll be okay," she said. "Let's get to packing."

Tenley side-glanced over to Lucy, forcing herself to smile at the woman. She nodded and the two headed down the hall to begin packing for the move upcoming.

Somewhere Unknown

Present Time

The Lifeboat landed on a small padded floor, muffling the familiar clank it usually gave when landing. The hatch opened slowly. Wyatt leaned out of the opening, gun aimed before him as he scanned the immediate surroundings.

"Clear," he muttered quietly. He slowly dropped to the padded floor before the Lifeboat. He motioned for the others to follow.

Flynn rolled his eyes at Wyatt as he jumped out. He turned and helped Agent Christopher out. Once both were out, they lifted their weapons out before them, scanning the area.

The padded room was large enough to hold both time machines, plus room for more. The entire room, floor to ceiling was padded with a tough material made to last and muffle any sounds of the machines coming and going. There were two large mirrors off to each side of the doorway.

There was a door leading out of the landing room. Wyatt and Flynn approached the door, standing on either side. Wyatt mouthed to Flynn as he counted down. When he reached zero, he opened the door and Flynn lifted his gun before him, eyes darting around the new area. It was empty.

Wyatt slipped out of the open door first, gun aimed before him. Flynn followed as Agent Christopher brought up the rear. The large hallway was wide enough to fit five people across shoulder to shoulder. The walls and floor were smooth concrete. Lining the walls were tall black metal lockers, fully stocked with tactical gear, weapons, and ammunition of all kinds. This hallway had three doors - one they just came from and one straight before them. The third door led to a smaller room filled with all of the command controls and computers, dedicated to the machines. Glancing out of the window, they realized it was two-way mirrors inside the landing room.

Repeating their actions from before, Wyatt opened the door and Flynn darted into the doorway, scanning the area with his gun held out before him. His eyes widened as he took in the next room. He shook his head, letting Wyatt know it was void of enemies.

The group slowly entered the new room. It was a large room with warm beige painted walls and lush light brown carpet. They spotted a full kitchen, complete with appliances and gas range for cooking, and a large harvest table with matching wooden chairs surrounding it.

Across the room from the kitchen, they spotted an entertainment room, with three matching grey couches, a large TV, two bookshelves - one filled with movies and music, the other with books, both organized alphabetically. Sitting directly in the center between the three couches was a coffee table with magazines neatly stacked on the top and the remotes to the TV and entertainment devices lined up beside it. Rufus even spotted a few video game consoles lined up underneath the TV. He felt like he was in heaven.

Tucked around the corner of the entertainment area, they spotted a cozy reading nook, complete with a few lounging chairs, a sofa, and fully stocked bookshelves. Sitting near the different chairs and the sofa were end tables. In the center, on a blue rug was a coffee table with fresh wildflowers.

Wyatt glanced over to the others, confusion written on his face. He turned his gaze back to the room, scanning the layout, and spotting another hallway. He meandered that way carefully, Flynn and the others close behind.

The hallway was decorated the same as the main room, not as wide as the first hallway they had come in from. They stopped at the first room, glancing around the doorframe to peek inside.

This room was lined with mirrors, more of the same padding from the landing room on the floor. Workout equipment and weights were set up neatly. A stack of freshly laundered white towels was set on a counter with bottled waters for the taking.

They moved further in, stopping at the next doorway. Inside, they spotted a full hospital, complete with medical equipment that would make Tenley incredibly happy to see. From their cursory glance in, they noticed everything seemed fully stocked and at the ready for a moment's notice.

With each room they checked, they noticed the pattern of everything having been set up in anticipation of their arrival. Each bedroom had a king-sized bed, fully made. A bookshelf with space for their personal belongings, a large dresser for their clothes, and a private en-suite attached, complete with a soaker tub and dual sinks.

Flynn had noticed there were enough bedrooms in this place to hold an army if it came down to it. He also realized Tenley would finally have her own room - not just the infirmary to sleep in.

Despite the beauty of the place, the fully stocked kitchen, and amenities, Flynn couldn't help but wonder what Bloodstone had to gain from all of this. There simply had to be a catch. He just didn't know what it was.

The group returned to the main room once they finished working their way through the facility. Wyatt asked, "Did anyone see a door in or out of this place?"

Agent Christopher shook her head. "I didn't." The others shook their heads. "It certainly is secure."

"And fully stocked with literally everything we'd ever want," Rufus mentioned. "It makes living here seem better than life outside the bunker."

Flynn shifted in his place. "Actually, that's what has me concerned."

Wyatt nodded in agreement. "I agree. This is too much."

"What happened to 'they want to help us'?" Rufus asked. He scoffed. "There's one way in and out of this place. It has everything we need to be comfortable…" he motioned toward the general area where the infirmary was, "Tenley could finally see if something's wrong with Jiya-"

Agent Christopher studied the men carefully. She asked, "What do we do? If we stay at the bunker, you know what that could mean. If we come here, what does that mean in the end?"

Wyatt licked his lips. "I think we should try to set up the ambush. Maybe take Rittenhouse out of the picture while we can-"

"You can't just take out a whole organization on one night," Rufus scoffed. He pointed to Flynn. "He tried that approach, remember?"

"What if we used this place temporarily?" Wyatt suggested. "Just until Rittenhouse moves on-"

"Moves on?" Rufus repeated. "When do they move on from anything?"

Denise raised her hands again. "Let's get back to the bunker and update the others."

"And what happens if we leave and someone comes here to wait for us to return?" Wyatt asked. "They knew when we'd be here," he motioned around them, "hence why, despite them saying they won't be here in 15 years, it's fully stocked."

She looked at the man. "What do you suggest?"

"I stay behind," Wyatt offered. "I stay here, make sure everything is safe for when you return."

"And if someone does come while we're gone?" she asked.

He shrugged, clearly unimpressed. "I'll deal with them." The three stared at him, a mixture of shock and uncertainty washing over their expressions. Wyatt pressed his lips into a thin line as he glared back at them. "I'm a soldier, it's what I do."

Agent Christopher sighed, letting her shoulders fall slightly. "Okay," she finally agreed. "We shouldn't be gone long...looks like packing will be simple enough."

Rufus whispered, "Don't get blood on the carpet, okay?" Wyatt rolled his eyes as he watched the three walk away toward the Lifeboat.


	47. A Place To Call Home

The Bunker

Present Time

The Lifeboat landed with a clank, whirring to a stop. Lucy and Mason rushed into the main living area, watching with anticipation for the hatch to open. The moment it did, they spotted only three of the four man crew emerge.

Lucy's heart stopped. "Where's Wyatt? What happened?"

Denise held her hands out in a calming manner. "He's fine."

"Where is he?" Lucy repeated, her voice showcasing her worry.

Flynn stated, "He stayed behind to make sure the place remained secure for our trip back."

"Alone?" she questioned. Flynn shrugged, unable to tell her anything she didn't already know about Wyatt. She'd be able to figure out what was going on in that thick head of his better than anyone else.

Rufus stated, "We're not going to need to bring much with us. It's completely stocked."

"Really?" Mason asked, completely shocked.

Rufus nodded, a smile gracing his lips. "You wouldn't believe what they've got-"

"Not now, Rufus," Agent Christopher suggested with a shake of her head. "We need to get the others and head back."

Lucy nodded as she turned to return to her room with a better understanding of what to pack. She even packed Wyatt's belongings.

Tenley asked, "Should I box up my supplies-"

Denise shook her head. "There's no need. They have a full infirmary with everything you could possibly imagine."

"Really?" the doctor asked, surprised. "I wonder how they managed to get everything…" her voice trailed off as she lifted her eyes at them. "I guess it doesn't matter...I'll finish up packing."

Agent Christopher nodded, watching as the team meandered toward their rooms to pack up what little personal belongings they had. She pulled her phone out of her pocket the moment she was alone. She hesitated to do what she knew she had to do.

Tenley threw what little belongings she had into a duffel bag. She glanced around the old infirmary, a small pang of remorse for what she was leaving behind washed over her.

She heard movement behind her, followed by a familiar gentle voice, "Got everything you need?"

Her eyes drifted slowly across the room. Images of helping Flynn with a gunshot wound to his side came to mind. Then again when he looked like he had been run over by a truck. She blinked back the tears and memories, slowly taking in the rest of the room. By the time her dark eyes landed on the old couch, she spotted a familiar grey hoodie. Approaching the couch, she picked it up and looked at him. "I think so…"

Flynn closed the gap between them, wrapping her in an embrace, allowing her head to rest against his shoulder. He lowered his nose into her hair, breathing in the familiar scent of honeysuckles and vanilla. "We're going to be okay, Nine. I promise."

She blew a long sigh from her lips, gripping his back tightly. "What if this is a mistake?" she pondered. "What if they follow us because of me?"

Flynn pulled away slightly, looking her in the eye. "Then we'll cross that bridge when we get there...together." He saw the uncertainty behind her expression and held her shoulders as he lowered himself slightly to look her in the eyes. "Nine...We'll get through this together. No matter what happens, okay? I'm here."

A soft knock landed on the door behind Flynn, causing them both to look over. Lucy stood there, hand out as she said, "Sorry to interrupt…" she looked up at Flynn, "we could use a hand with Jiya."

Flynn nodded, turning back to Tenley. "I'll be back soon."

She nodded as Flynn left with Lucy to help Jiya into the Lifeboat with her things. Tenley's eyes drifted back across the room, taking in the details once again.

Her eyes stopped at the sink under the counter, recalling a time when she had tried to use a metal tray to work on her own wound. Her hand drifted up to her chest, touching the long scar that ran across her chest. She wasn't sure what happened but she was beginning to remember the time it took to heal.

She shook her head, inhaling deeply as she glanced one more time, making sure she had grabbed everything. Her eyes landed on a stack of games on the floor, tucked beside the couch. She studied them closer and smiled at 'Dominion'.

The bunker alarms sounding broke her walk through fragmented memories. She turned toward the door, glancing over her shoulder to say a silent goodbye to a room she felt a deep connection with. Tenley forced herself to walk away and down the hall to the main living area.

She stood there, setting her bags down. Her eyes drifted over to the kitchen. She approached the cabinet over the fridge and opened it. Standing on her tiptoes, she reached for the water filter box and brought it down. She flipped the box lid open and saw the individually wrapped Ding-Dongs. A smile graced her lips as she held back a laugh.

Flynn was right, she realized. She was beginning to remember things - slowly - but she was remembering. She took the box, closing it as she neared her bag. She placed it inside for safekeeping, hoping to give it to Flynn when they arrived wherever they were going.

Her dark eyes lifted to see Mason and Denise having what seemed to be an intense conversation. They kept their tones quiet but their body language told her they were fighting.

Within moments, the alarms sounded again and the Lifeboat reappeared. Tenley's eyes were still locked on Mason and Denise, she didn't realize Rufus had come up behind her. "What's going on?"

She glanced over her shoulder to look at Rufus. They exchanged worried glances as she turned back to the two in the hall. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "I just noticed they were fighting…"

Rufus's brow furrowed as he put his hands into his pocket. "How long have they been going at it?"

She shrugged. "I just noticed a moment before you arrived…"

Rufus watched for a moment before saying, "Let's get your things into the Lifeboat…" he picked up her bag, "maybe by the time we get back, they'll be finished."

She peered over her shoulder again. "I don't know...something tells me something bad happened…"

Rufus motioned for her to climb into the Lifeboat, passing her bag to her once she was inside. He muttered, "Strap in and I'll...I'll go see what's going on."

She nodded, watching as Rufus walked away from the hatch. She couldn't see much of what was going on from the chair she sat down in, her bag tucked safely near her. She strapped into the chair, folding her hands into her lap. She lifted her eyes, taking in the inside of the Lifeboat again.

The smell of the inside was a mixture of leather from the seats, smoke from their various travels - almost musty in nature - and the faint aroma of soap from it having been cleaned lingered in the air.

Rufus climbed into the Lifeboat, head shaking as he crawled in. His expression showcased his frustrations. He slumped into his chair with a sigh and waited.

"What's going on?" she asked, seeing the answer plainly on his face.

He ran a hand over his head. "I think this is the beginning of our issues."

"What does that mean?"

Rufus shook his head. He opened his mouth to tell her when a bag was tossed into the Lifeboat. He swiveled in his chair to face the console.

Mason climbed into the machine, mumbling under his breath. He sat down into the chair, strapping in. He continued mumbling to himself. Tenley managed to only catch a couple of words but figured out that he hated time traveling in his own machine.

Agent Christopher crawled into the Lifeboat behind Mason. She didn't look at anyone as she sat down in the chair, strapping in. "Get us going, Rufus."

Rufus simply hummed a response as he closed the hatch and booted up the machine. Tenley's breathing quickened as the machine whirred to life and shot through time and space. She squeezed her eyes tight as she felt the jostling caused by the trip.

It landed and the whirring stopped. Rufus clicked off switches as he stated, "We have arrived…"

The hatch opened and Mason was the first to toss his straps off his shoulders, snatching his bag off the floor. He tossed it out of the Lifeboat, jumping out.

Agent Christopher's expression showed her struggle to maintain a level of calm as she followed the angry inventor out.

Rufus and Tenley exchanged concerned glances. Rufus muttered, "Our internal problems are beginning…"

She slowly pushed her straps aside, grabbing her bag. She hesitated for a moment, allowing Rufus to climb out first. There was a nagging fear growing in her mind as she slowly started to emerge from the Lifeboat.

Just as she stepped out, balancing carefully on the edge, her eyes saw Flynn standing just below her, arms outstretched to help her down. He took her bag, setting it down at his feet before returning his reach up to her. She took his hands and allowed him to help her.

He picked her up, carefully setting her down on the padded floor of the landing pad gently. He smiled at her. "Welcome home."

She smiled at him, brushing a strand of hair over her ear. "Thanks…"

He motioned over his shoulder with his thumb. "What's going on with those guys?"

Tenley picked up her bag. "They were fighting about something before we left…"

Flynn's brows knitted together. "About what?"

She shrugged as he led her down the hall. "I don't know...but Rufus tried to talk to them...he keeps saying something like 'our internal problems are just beginning' or some nonsense…"

Flynn cocked his head at her in confusion. He kept quiet but made a mental note to ask Rufus about it later. Flynn showed Tenley around the new bunker. He motioned for her to enter the new infirmary and watched her expression turn into one of pure shock and joy with all of the equipment available to her.

"Oh my god…" she gasped, taking it all in. She approached some of the bigger machines. "This place has it all…" She glanced about before blinking at the room.

"What's wrong?"

"It has everything except a place for me to sleep, it would seem," she stated.

He smiled at her, holding a finger up. "That's because you get your own room," he told her.

She blinked at him. "My own room?"

He motioned for her to join him as he led her deeper down the hallway. "You can take your pick," he told her. "That's Rufus and Jiya's room there," he said, pointing to a closed door with a number 1 attached to it. He continued down that hall, pointing to another closed door. This one with a number 5 on the door. "That's Lucy and Wyatt's room."

They spotted Agent Christopher entering a room, closing the door behind her. The number on the door was 7. Mason closed his door just a moment before they arrived at it, the number 9 attached to it.

Flynn turned to Tenley. "I'm at the end of this hall," he told her, motioning down the corridor. "25."

"That's a ways away," she commented. "Why so far?"

"We have the space," he told her. "And privacy for a change...I figured, what better way to get a little bit of both than choosing a room further from everyone else?"

She smiled, nodding slightly as she understood his meaning. "So…" she started, drawing the word out. "Should I look at one of these?" She motioned to the open doors around them. "Or further down the hall?"

A sly smile brushed his lips as he shifted in his place, locking eyes with her. "Well," he began. "It's up to you...but I know I'd appreciate it if you were closer."

"I thought you wanted space and privacy?" she asked, her eyebrow raised amusingly.

He chuckled. "Not from you." He placed his hands into his pockets, rocking on his feet for a moment. "However, no matter which room you choose, the choice is yours. I won't be sad or disappointed if you choose to be closer to the others."

Her eyes locked with his. Her heart raced as she heard the meaning behind his words. She knew he respected her too much to force her to choose a room at the end of the hall.

She took a moment to think over her options. She knew if she chose a room closer to the others, she'd have to deal with Wyatt's mood swings and his skeptical judging glares. She also knew she'd be closer to hearing the happy couples in their downtime. She didn't want that either.

She blinked at him. "I think 24 is a nice number."

He smiled at her, trying hard to contain his happiness over her decision. He waved his hand forward, allowing her to move down the hall before him as he stepped in line with her.

When they entered her room, she placed her bag on the big bed. "Wow," she commented. "This certainly beats the infirmary back home." She glanced over and saw the ensuite. She turned to face him. "This is like a four-star hotel."

He nodded, letting his head drop to his chest for a moment. "It is a step above the bunker," he admitted.

She opened her bag, pulling out the water filter box. "I have a present for you."

His eyes drifted down to the box in her hands. With knitted brows, he asked, "Water filters?" He took the box from her. "You shouldn't have?"

She laughed. "I think you left it behind, actually."

His eyes narrowed at her for a moment before he finally realized what she was saying. He pushed the lid open, peering into the box. A wave of emotions washed over him as he stared at the chocolate snack cakes hidden inside the box. Part of him was touched by her present - that reminder of Iris...but he found himself more emotional over the simple fact that she had remembered his hiding place for these desserts. He lifted his eyes, now misty with tears as he whispered, "Thank you."

She offered a small sympathetic smile as she closed the gap between them. Placing a hand gently on his cheek, she whispered back, "You're welcome."

Early the next morning, Tenley's eyes opened to unfamiliar surroundings. She bolted upright in the comfortable cozy bed, glancing about the room. It took her a moment to remember where she was. She sighed heavily, realizing how strange it felt to not be in her old infirmary sleeping on the old couch where the springs poked her back.

She brushed her hair out of her face, tossing her legs over the side as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She knew there was no sense in going back to sleep, especially given how challenging it was to get to sleep in the first place. She stood up and got ready for the day.

By the time she finished what would become her new morning routine, she headed into the main room. Crossing the threshold into the large room, the pleasant aroma of fresh coffee filled her lungs. She turned into the kitchen to see Flynn already awake, making bacon, eggs, and pancakes. She smirked, leaning against the door jamb of the kitchen, arms crossed as she watched him.

He hadn't noticed her yet as he turned the bacon in the pan. He flipped the pancake up and out of the pan, catching it with ease - something Tenley hadn't witnessed anyone do successfully before. He set the pancake back onto the gas stovetop to continue cooking. As he turned to drink from his coffee mug, his eyes lifted to see her. He stopped in his step, smiling wide at her. "Good morning."

"Morning," she said, stifling a small yawn. She motioned around the kitchen. "I take it you're a morning person?"

He laughed. "It's the first time we've had an actual kitchen with food," he told her. "I couldn't let it go to waste." He reached into a cabinet and retrieved a mug. He poured the freshly made coffee into it, passing it over to her. "Besides, I figured after the night everyone had, breakfast would be welcomed."

She took the mug, nodding in agreement. He turned away from her to continue cooking. She asked, "What do you think the plan will be moving forward?"

He shrugged. "I'm sure Agent Christopher will let us know."

"Let us know what?" a voice spoke behind Tenley.

The two turned to see Agent Christopher standing there. She looked exhausted as if she hadn't slept all night. Her clothes had clearly been slept in with the new wrinkles spread across the material. She glanced between the two before stopping at Flynn. "Did you make breakfast?"

"And coffee," he told her with a smile, passing a full mug over to her. "Rough night?"

Denise entered the kitchen to take the mug from him. "You could say that."

Flynn questioned, "Does it have anything to do with the fight you had with Mason?"

Her eyes narrowed at him, stunned that he knew. She glanced over at Tenley and connected the dots. "I didn't realize we made a spectacle of ourselves." She sighed, letting her head fall slightly. Rubbing her temple, she admitted, "We had a simple disagreement, nothing more."

"Over what?" Flynn questioned.

"Does it matter?"

Flynn saw a seriousness behind her eyes. He wondered if she had done something they had agreed not to do. "You told Homeland."

She shook her head. "No, I didn't." She sipped her coffee. "I told Michelle."

"You...what?" Tenley gasped. Denise glanced over at her.

Flynn scoffed. "You realize you've painted a target on your family now."

Denise glared at him. "What was I supposed to do? Disappear without telling her where I was going?"

"What did you tell her exactly?" Flynn pushed.

Agent Christopher licked her lips. "Away on a business trip to an undisclosed location."

"And when word reaches Homeland Security?" Flynn questioned. "What then?"

Denise sucked her teeth. "At least my family will not know where I am."

"Feigning innocence can only take you so far," he reminded her. "Have you forgotten about the moles within Homeland?"

She shook her head. "I haven't forgotten-"

"Forgotten what?" Wyatt asked, standing behind the group. He eyed each one of them carefully. When no one spoke, he asked, "Is that bacon?"

Flynn nodded, stepping aside as Wyatt entered the kitchen. They remained silent as Wyatt began filling his plate with food.

Before anyone else could speak up, a soft chime beeped overhead, followed by a computerized voice. "Active time travel initiated."

"What was that?" Wyatt asked, halting in his scooping of potato hash.

The group exchanged glances, listening to the automated voice overhead as the delicate chime sounded an alarm. "Active time travel initiated."

Rufus, Jiya, Mason, and Lucy appeared in the room, brows drawn together, heads tilted up at the ceiling as they listened to the intercom. Rufus rushed by everyone and down the hall toward the Lifeboat. The others were not far behind.

Rufus burst into the padded room where the Lifeboat sat. He sighed a breath of relief at the sight of the machine, still sitting there untouched.

The chime sounded again, followed by the same message. Mason pushed the door to the small control room off to the side. He spotted some familiar screens and flashing lights. He entered the room, Jiya close behind.

Jiya climbed into the office chair, typing quickly at the keyboard. She watched as the words displayed on the screen, with images of historical documentation - or the current history, at least.

She blinked at the images. "Cool."

"What's going on?" Agent Christopher called out.

Jiya cleared her throat. "Looks like… a small island off of North Carolina. 1588."

Both Flynn and Lucy spoke, "The lost colony of Roanoke?" They exchanged glances, surprised they both knew the date.

Rufus blinked at them. "Roanoke? Like, Croatoan, Roanoke?"

Lucy nodded. "There's so much speculation on what happened back then. They are still finding evidence today that might lead them to understand what happened."

Agent Christopher nodded. "Be careful," she told them, eyeing each of them carefully, "we have no idea what to expect since we don't know what took place."

Wyatt nodded, heading to the weapons locker to begin gearing up. Flynn glanced over to Tenley. She nodded, letting him know it was okay - that she'd be okay without him.

Flynn paused. "Are you sure it's a good idea for both of your 'soldiers' to leave you here by yourselves?"

Agent Christopher gave a curt nod. "I think we'll be okay."

Mason opened his mouth to retort. "Are you sure? The last time-"

"Are you saying you'd like to go on this mission?" Denise asked. When Mason shrunk back into the control room, she said, "I didn't think so." She turned back to Flynn. "We'll be fine. They will need you more than we will."

Flynn clenched his jaw, unsure if this was the right course of action - especially given the simple fact they were now using Bloodstone's new lair. It didn't sit well with him.

Tenley nodded to him, encouraging him silently with a small smile. He could see she was trying to be brave for his sake and he didn't want her to feel guilty if he stayed. He returned the gesture before grabbing his things.

Rufus gave Jiya a quick kiss on the lips before entering the Lifeboat. Wyatt and Lucy followed while Flynn brought up the rear. The rest of them watched as the Lifeboat disappeared with nary a sound.


	48. The Lost City

1588

The Lifeboat sat nestled in the thick treeline amongst the brush, overlooking the Atlantic ocean. Birds sang songs overhead as they darted from tree to tree. The sounds of distant seagulls along the coast echoed around them with the faint sound of the water lapping up onto the shore. The lush brush underfoot was overgrown, leading the team to believe that nothing had come this way in some time. The vines proved to be troublesome as their feet continued to get caught in the tangled web of the flora.

Rufus was the last out of the Lifeboat. "Well, if no one is home, we don't have to worry about blending in, right?"

The team glanced over at the man before wandering through the vegetation. After ten minutes of their leisurely walk in the woods, Wyatt stopped them. "Look there," he whispered. "It looks like smoke."

Through the breaks of the trees, they managed to see several small puffs of white smoke. "Is that chimney smoke?" Lucy asked.

Flynn nodded. "Would appear so."

"So, they're still here?" Rufus asked. His tone became disappointed. "Which means a change of clothes...potentially smelly and disease-ridden. My life is awesome."

"Come on," Wyatt whispered, carefully leading them through the woods toward the colony's location.

They stopped at the edge of the woods that overlooked the lost colony. The colony was filled with people who were going about their day. Wyatt turned to Lucy. "How many people are down there?"

Lucy replied, "They think about 115 to 120 people were living at Roanoke Colony at the time. There's evidence to suggest-"

"How do that many people just vanish?" Wyatt asked, cutting her off.

She shrugged. "We still don't know but there are a lot of speculations."

"Such as?" Wyatt asked, turning back to observe the people.

"Some think the message inscribed on the tree meant they headed to Croatoan island," she mentioned. "Others believe they decided to assimilate into the natives' lives and head further inland."

"So, they don't know?" Wyatt concluded. She nodded, realizing he wasn't interested in the facts - what little facts there were - and stopped sharing the details she knew.

Rufus asked, "Not to sound like a conspiracy theorist or anything but what would Rittenhouse or Bloodstone accomplish here?" Lucy turned her attention to him. He added, "I mean, they didn't do anything here to warrant any interest, right? Or was someone important enough to them? A sleeper?"

Wyatt finally turned his attention to Rufus. "Take a breath, man."

Lucy blinked at the two. "I don't know the answers to your questions but I do know this colony might have helped those who founded Jamestown."

Rufus's eyes widened. "Oh...good times," he muttered, turning to Flynn, "Right?"

Flynn rolled his eyes, remembering their experiences at Jamestown. He hadn't forgotten the beating he took on the beach - the very one Rufus kept referring to as 'The Mountain' attack. Even if he wanted to forget about it, his ribs still ached on occasion from the incident. He shook the memories away and said, "We can't linger here for much longer."

Wyatt nodded in agreement. "Let's see if there's a way to get down there and grab some clothes without being seen."

"You know they'll know we're not part of the colony, right?" Lucy asked. "There's not that many people down there-"

"We'll improvise," Wyatt said.

"We're going to get shot," Rufus retorted, pinching the bridge to his nose.

A twig behind them snapped, causing all of them to turn. "Actually," a man's voice stated. "You'll be rotting in a jail cell."

The team raised their hands in defense as they stared down the barrel of six muskets aimed at them as eight colonials stood before them. Flynn and Wyatt exchanged glances, irritated with each other for not having heard or seen these men making their approach.

Rufus tilted his head slightly at them. "We come in peace?"

Present Day

Tenley sat in her room, enjoying the quiet. Her dark eyes drifted about the place, taking in every feature it had to offer. She recalled her old room at the bunker - the one she made within the infirmary that she had to share with - she didn't even have a bed to call her own. Her mind thought back to the room she had when she was living with Rittenhouse. Despite it being a private room, it had its flaws - like that damned water-damaged corner that continued to get worse. This room, however, felt comfortable and new. She felt almost ashamed and selfish to take it.

There was a sense of familiarity with it that she couldn't place. She knew she had never been here before, yet there was just that nagging voice in the back of her head that tried to convince her otherwise. She pushed herself to her feet, searching the place in hopes of finding whatever gave her that feeling.

She wouldn't call it a deja vu moment but it was similar. She laughed at the idea of trying to explain it to someone. If there was anything she had learned since her memory was wiped, it was to trust her gut. It hadn't led her wrong yet.

She began her search with the dresser, finding it empty aside from the clothes she brought with her. She moved to the desk to rifle through the drawers, only to find them empty. By the time she reached the bookshelf, she scanned the spines of each one of the books. She smiled and reached out for one with elegant flower designs and delicate script.

Holding it in her hands, she stared at the cover. 'First Impressions'. She opened the book and thumbed through the pages. She remembered loving this book, despite not having read it in a while. As she stopped to look over a drawing that took up one full page inside, she blinked in surprise. The picture's caption had it as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy at Netherfield Park. The drawing of Mr. Darcy, however, spooked her. She studied it closely and noticed the similarities between Darcy and Flynn. There were a few characters in the background that seemed to resemble the other members of the Time Team.

She thought back on the day she had returned to the team. Quinn and Rowan had taken her back to the Austen's homestead to fetch the time team. She chuckled as she finally made the connection. She set the book on her nightstand, feeling the need to read it again to see how much Flynn influenced the author.

As she set the book on the nightstand, something caught her attention. A small corner of a book peeked out from under the mattress. Her brows knitted together as she reached for it, tugging it out from its hiding place. She stared at the worn black leather-bound journal. On the bottom right-hand corner was a silver embossed monogram. She ran her finger over the letters as she muttered, "CRQRT…"

Tenley sat down on the edge of her bed, contemplating whether she should open the journal or not. She knew whoever put the book under her mattress knew she'd find it - that she'd take this particular room. She had no idea what those letters meant or who they represented. It scared her to think about the contents within.

She closed her eyes, wondering what to do. She swallowed her nerves, taking a shaky breath in. Opening her eyes as she exhaled, she opened the book cover. She blinked back the confusion as she recognized the handwriting. It was hers.

Her heart slammed into her chest as she stared at the handwriting. She hadn't even begun the process of reading what was written on the page. She struggled to shake off the shock of it being her book. She blew out another shaky sigh and forced herself to focus on the words.

'Keep calm. I know it's scary but you need to read this.'

Tenley twisted her lips as she thought about her next move. Deciding she had the time, and essentially the permission from her future self, she turned the cover page and began to read.

1588

The team found themselves behind solid iron bars within a small well-made wooden building with some of the colonials keeping guard. The men would come and go from the jail, taking breaks outside of the building, giving the team a chance to speak in hushed tones to one another.

"What are we going to do?" Rufus whispered. "We have no idea what happens here-"

"Or when," Lucy added as she sat on the cot with a heavy sigh.

Rufus nodded, pointing to Lucy. "Or when, so…" he turned to Flynn and Wyatt, "anytime you guys want to do some thrilling heroics, I'm waiting."

Flynn leaned against the wall of the cell, listening to them. He knew jails like this were pretty well built considering the times. He found a great interest in watching Wyatt as he tugged on the bars then tried to lift them out of their place fruitlessly. He shook his head. "You're wasting your time."

"I don't see you trying to get us out of here," Wyatt growled at him as he continued to tug on the bars with the occasional strained grunt.

"Because it would be a mistake," Flynn told him. "If you haven't noticed, there's only one way in and out of here," he pointed to the door, "and they sit out on the front step. So, unless you're planning on taking out the entire colony…"

"I just need to get us out of this damned cell," Wyatt grunted as he tried to lift the bars again, "get my gun back and find the sleeper-"

"Assuming there's one here," Flynn told him with a half shrug.

The door opened and Rufus's eyes widened. "Oh, there's definitely a sleeper here." Wyatt and Lucy looked at Rufus and Flynn. Based on their expressions, they knew these men.

Entering the jail to face the team, Flynn and Rufus recognized the four as the Bloodstone sleepers they had encountered on the beach at Jamestown. The four smiled at the team, seemingly proud they had managed to capture them.

The leader of the four took a step forward, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well, well. This is a surprise."

"You know of these strangers, sir?" one of the colonials asked from the doorway, his wary eyes bouncing between the two groups.

The man chuckled. "I do," he replied, never taking his eyes from the team. "They are very dangerous people. It was serendipitous of you to have captured them."

"Serend….what?" the man asked, unsure of the word.

The Bloodstone man rolled his eyes, glancing over his shoulder. "Good luck," he clarified. "Will you give us a moment?"

The man nodded, closing the door behind him as he stepped back outside.

The Bloodstone man turned back to face them. "I have to say, I wasn't expecting you lot so soon," he confessed. "I had expected you to try and save the little Indian princess at Jamestown some years from now."

"What do you want from us?" Wyatt challenged him.

The man laughed. "I don't want anything from you," he told them. He smirked and raised a finger to his lips, tapping them. "Actually," he started, a slight chuckle escaped his lips, "That's not true." He held Wyatt's angry gaze and added, "I want you to rot in this cell and give historians a headache as they try to understand how four individuals locked in a jail cell were the sole survivors of this lost colony."

"What are you going to do here?" Lucy asked, standing up from the cot and approaching the bars. "What will you do to the people here?"

"I'm not going to do anything," the man said, placing his hand on his chest. "I'm just following orders, like yourselves." He started to approach the bars, making sure to stay just out of reach. "The difference is I will succeed whereas you will not."

Wyatt tried to reach out and grab the man, finding his reach short. He pulled back, scoffing at the man. The man's lips curved into a sly smile.

The man turned, motioning for the others to make their way out of the building. He glanced over his shoulder and added, "I'll be sure to send your regards to my boss."

"What does Reynolds want here?" Wyatt shouted. "Tell us!"

The man stopped, eyes narrowing on Wyatt. "I don't know a Reynolds."

"Then who is your boss?"

The man chuckled. "You'll know soon enough." Without letting them shout any more questions at him, the man left, slamming the wooden door closed behind him.

"Well," Rufus sighed. "That was fun and a complete waste of our time."

Lucy turned to Flynn. "You know those men?"

Flynn nodded. "Those four were there when we separated at Jamestown. They were on the beach that night-"

"When he was attacked by The Mountain," Rufus chimed in.

Flynn's lips pressed into a thin line, motioning over to Rufus as a gesture of acknowledging the statement. "You brought the natives back and they took care of them for us, remember?"

Lucy thought for a moment, suddenly remembering the information she read when they returned. "They were hanged for treason after we left."

Flynn nodded. "Which means, whatever happens here, they're a part of it."

"But I don't understand it...what does Bloodstone want here?" Lucy asked. "Why would they be here of all places? It doesn't make sense…"

Wyatt sighed heavily. "Unless they are responsible for this becoming a lost colony." He turned to face the others who seemed stunned by his words. "Think about it. What other explanation is there?"

Lucy sat back down on the cot, thinking. "There has to be another explanation…"

"Maybe this is another distraction," Rufus offered. "They've done that before."

Flynn sighed, glancing out of the window near the door. "It's getting dark soon. Let's wait and see if we can't get some information from the colonials."

"Yes," Rufus muttered, "Let's make friends with the locals and hope they'll help us… fantastic plan."

Flynn shook his head, rolling his eyes as he leaned against the bars.


	49. Silent Night

The door to the jail opened once more causing them all to glance over. Walking into the room was a young woman of maybe 19. Her auburn hair was pushed messily into her gray bonnet, her matching skirts were torn at the hem, and stained with mud and grass. Her wicker basket hung over her arm as she entered. "Are ye hungry?" she asked, eyes staring at the floorboards at her feet. "They told me to see to yer needs."

Flynn's brows twitched as he stared at her. Lucy smiled, nearing the bars. "Thank you," she said softly. "You're very kind."

Wyatt asked, "Who are you?" He eyed her carefully, feeling uncertain about her presence. "Who sent you?"

Lucy and Rufus turned to face Wyatt. Rufus muttered, "Now you're jumpy about the locals?"

The young girl cleared her throat, lifting her blue eyes to meet Wyatt's. "My name is Charlotte. The guards asked me to bring ye some food." She motioned to the basket. "It's not much but it's good."

"I'm hungry," Rufus told her with a shrug. She neared the cell, extending the basket forward for him to choose from the items inside.

The moment she neared the cell, Wyatt's hand darted out, grasping her wrist and pulling her hard against the cell. She cried out, dropping the basket as she tugged against him. Wyatt covered her mouth with his free hand to keep her from screaming for help.

"What are you doing?" Rufus hissed. He looked down at the floor. "All of it spilled-"

Flynn and Lucy stepped forward but Wyatt shot them a look to stay back. "She's up to something-"

Charlotte whimpered, shaking her head no as her blue eyes widened, silently pleading with Lucy and Flynn for help, a small tear escaping the corners of her eyes.

Wyatt turned back to her. "Who sent you?"

Lucy grabbed his arm. "Wyatt!" He glanced over at her and her voice dropped low. "Let her go."

Wyatt turned his eyes back to the panicked young woman he was holding. He gritted his teeth before sighing. He released her and she bolted from the room. He shook his head, motioning toward the door. "She's up to something!"

"What are you talking about?" Lucy questioned, her expression and tone showing her anger. "You just assaulted a young girl-"

"What is a Scot doing here?" he argued. "Everyone else sounds British-"

Lucy groaned, tossing her arms off to the side as she answered, "The Scots were a part of the first settlers to come here!"

He tilted his head. "Really?"

She nodded, brushing her hair out of her face, muttering something about him needing to crack open a book once in a while. She shook her head, sitting down on the cot with a huff. Rufus picked up the basket, hoping to find something that hadn't fallen onto the dirty floor. He was disappointed to discover nothing stayed within the confines of the basket. He sat next to Lucy, arms crossed as he glared at Wyatt.

Flynn inhaled deeply, looking at Wyatt. "We should take turns on watch," he suggested. "If something is going to happen soon, it would be better for us to be awake when it occurs."

Wyatt nodded in agreement. "I guess I'll take the first watch." He hoped by offering to take the first watch, it would get him back on the others' good side again.

The boring and long minutes dissolved into torturous hours. Despite their best efforts to keep themselves awake, the team had fallen asleep. No one had come into the jail since Charlotte fled.

Flynn's suggestion to sleep in shifts to ensure they were awake should something occur during the night was sound, sans for the terrible fact that their exhaustion finally caught up to them and they had all fallen fast asleep.

Flynn woke to the sounds of birds chirping loudly at the cell's window. He squinted at the bright morning light that filled the jail. He blinked as he glanced around the small room. Everyone was still asleep. He jumped to his feet, nudging Wyatt who was sitting against the bars on the floor with his foot. "Wyatt."

Wyatt groaned as he woke up. "What?"

"You fell asleep."

Wyatt bolted upright. "What?!" He stood up and glanced around the jail. "What happened?"

Flynn glared at him. "We're locked in the jail."

"They never came in?" Wyatt asked, mouth agape.

"You two are so loud in the morning!" Rufus muttered as he yawned, sitting up.

Lucy brushed her hair out of her face as she sat up. She noticed the looks on their faces - they were not happy. "What's wrong?"

Flynn eyed Wyatt. "He fell asleep on his watch."

"You what?" Rufus and Lucy gasped.

Wyatt rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry, okay? I was tired..."

"So, we're trapped in here?" Rufus panicked. "We're going to die in here, aren't we?"

The door to the jail opened. They turned to look at their company. Entering the small building was Future Jiya. She looked at the four of them, a shake of her head and a small smile on her somewhat amused expression. "You guys sure need a lot of help these days."

"Jiya!" Rufus gasped, nearing the bars. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving you," she told him. "As always." She crossed the room, stopping at the cell. She pulled a lock pick kit from her pocket and opened it.

Wyatt asked, "Do you want me to-"

"I got it," she told him. "Thanks."

"What about the colonists?" Lucy asked as she neared the bars.

Jiya's dark eyes remained locked on her task. "Would I be here if they were?"

Lucy's mouth fell open. "They're gone?"

Jiya nodded. "Every last one of them," she told them, lifting her eyes to meet their stunned faces. "Except you, of course."

"How is that possible?" Wyatt questioned. He grabbed Jiya's wrists through the bars. "What aren't you telling us!"

Rufus grabbed Wyatt's shirt at the shoulder, tugging him away from her. "Stop it!"

Jiya's eyes narrowed at him. "You have no idea what happened-"

"But you do," Wyatt told her. "It's all over your face." She nodded and he spat, "Why should we trust you?"

"Because I'm the only shot you have at making it out of here alive!" she shouted back. "So, should I let you out or do you want to stay in there and give historians something to ponder over for the next millennia?" She waited as his hold loosened around her wrists. He finally released his hold on her. "That's what I thought." She returned to her task of picking the lock.

Flynn asked, "What can you tell us?"

The cell opened and Jiya stood off to the side. "I can't tell you much but I would caution you to look closely when you get out there. Details are important."

Flynn nodded, understanding her meaning. "Thank you." He slipped out of the cell, stopping before her. "Remind me to teach you how to pick a lock."

She chuckled. "You do."

He smiled at her before exiting the jail.

Lucy hugged her. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Jiya told her. "I won't be able to save you again…" Lucy's mouth opened to ask a question when Jiya shook her head. "Don't worry about me. You're so close to figuring it all out. Just focus on that and everything will change."

Lucy nodded, tears welling in her eyes as she forced herself to follow Wyatt, who pushed his way by them without thanking Jiya.

Rufus stood before her, studying her face. He saw how worn she appeared. Whatever took place in the future, it didn't go easy on her. He hugged her. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Whatever you've been through," he admitted. "Whatever has happened...I promise not to let it happen again."

Jiya smiled. "I know you mean it but you have to end Bloodstone and Rittenhouse for those words to have meaning." She pulled away from him and smiled up at him. "Goodbye, Rufus. We might not see each other again."

He kissed her forehead. "I hope we do." He cradled her face in his hands for a moment, staring into her eyes. He saw one of her eyes had glossed over gray. He hadn't noticed it before. His lips parted to speak when she pulled his hands away from her face.

"Go," she told him. "You're running out of time."

He sighed, not wanting to leave her but knew she spoke the truth. He forced himself away from her, exiting the jail. He stopped as his eyes took in the empty colony.

It was eerily quiet. There were no people outside of themselves in the colony. Everything appeared as the colonists had just left. They searched the buildings for clues on their whereabouts but found nothing. Dinner plates with food still served remained on the tables. Glasses were still full with drink. Even the dog bowls were full. The fires had burned into piles of heated ash from not being tended to for hours.

"It's like they just vanished," Wyatt stated. "How is that possible? Did anyone hear anything last night?"

Jiya's warning echoed within Flynn's mind as he carefully studied the area. He searched for the meaning behind her words. The devil was always in the details and it was usually those details that were often overlooked or misinterpreted.

Lucy approached the trees on the outskirts of the colony, searching the trunks. She went from one to another until she froze. "Over here!"

The group trudged through the mud to where she stood. She stared at the trunk, not uttering a word. Wyatt asked, "What is that?"

"The only thing history said they found," Lucy explained, "were the letters 'CRO' carved into a tree trunk."

"So?"

She sighed. "This is what they believed the colonists carved to inform those who come a year later, that they headed to Croatoan Island."

"But they didn't, did they?" Wyatt recalled. She nodded and he added, "Despite what you might think, I do listen." He turned back to the colony. "It just doesn't add up though. Why would they carve this and head out in the middle of the night?"

Flynn stepped closer to the tree, studying the carvings. He noticed a small mark under the 'O'. He rubbed the spot with his finger. He licked his lips and turned to Lucy. "Do you see this?"

She looked at the mark he pointed out. "Do you think they were trying to write something else there?"

"Find something?" Wyatt questioned.

Flynn said, "I don't know if this was meant to be an 'O'...might be they were in a hurry and couldn't complete the message."

"Meaning what?"

"If I didn't know any better," Flynn began, "I'd say they were still working on their message. Look here. It looks like they started to carve another section before they stopped."

"Or their knife slipped," Wyatt told him. "That's a loose theory at best."

Flynn shook his head, brows knitted together. He didn't believe it to be that simple. Not after Jiya's warning, anyways. His eyes drifted across the colony again before scanning the woods surrounding them. He noticed some flora that seemed out of place and marched over to the woods.

Lucy watched him with interest. She followed him. "What is it?"

Flynn knelt, studying the ground. "They were taken."

"Taken?" she repeated. "Indians?"

He licked his lips as he stood up. He turned to face her. "They were taken out of here by a time machine."

"What?" she gasped, staring at the ground. "Wha-how?"

He pointed to the ground. "The indentations on the ground," he started, "are just like the legs of the Mothership." He turned to face her, crossing her arms over his chest. "I don't know if this is a Bloodstone or a Rittenhouse thing but… that's why we didn't hear anything."

Lucy blinked the surprise away. "We should ask Jiya-"

"She's gone by now," he told her. He closed the gap between them. "It's on us to figure this out."

"But figure what out?" Lucy asked. "Why would they take an entire colony? It doesn't make sense-"

Flynn held her gaze. "They've taken people from history before," he reminded her. "There's no saying the reason but…" he sighed heavily, "Jiya knew something was going on. Her warning to me...pay attention to the details."

"The details," Lucy repeated. She scanned the empty colony. "If you're right about the tree's carving, then there's no saying what the message was intended to be."

Flynn's lips pressed together into a thin line as he thought it over. He shook his head as his eyes dropped to the mess in the mud. He saw the numerous footprints sunken into the mud. None of them gave him the impression the colonists were taken against their will. There were no signs of struggle. It looked like they simply marched their way to the time machines and silently left on their own accord.

Wyatt approached them. "We should get back."

"What about-" Lucy started to say.

Wyatt glanced over his shoulder. "No offense but it doesn't look like we did any good here."

Despite wanting to stick around longer in an effort to find any more clues as to what took place, Flynn agreed with Wyatt. He already pieced together what probably happened. Now he needed to think up what might have been the message on the tree. "CRO" had a different meaning in his mind as the team marched through the woods back to the Lifeboat.


	50. A Song From Her Memory

Present Time

The Lifeboat landed in the padded room without a sound. The team started to emerge from the machine when the door to the landing room opened. With the door open, the team could hear the warning overhead on the speakers. "Incoming traveler."

They exited the landing pad and into the hallway. Agent Christopher asked, "What happened?"

"We think we know what happened at Roanoke," Rufus told her.

Agent Christopher's brows drew together. "The lost colony?"

"Not so lost after all," Wyatt muttered. "Stolen."

"Stolen?" she repeated, glancing about the team. "Could someone explain, please?"

Lucy opened her mouth to speak when Wyatt chimed in, cutting her off, "Rittenhouse or Bloodstone took the entire colony."

"Why would they do that?" she asked. "What do they gain from that?"

Wyatt shrugged. "I don't know but Jiya was there," he stated, glancing over to Jiya.

Jiya shifted in her place, holding her hands up defensively. "I swear, I don't know anything."

Flynn watched Wyatt carefully. Wyatt stated, "I just wish you would be more helpful when you pop through time."

Jiya scoffed, pulling away slightly. "Yes, I purposely withhold information just to spite you," she retorted sarcastically. She rolled her eyes, walking away from him before he could say anything else.

Rufus grimaced as he turned his attention to Wyatt. "Dude...really?"

Wyatt shrugged like he was innocent in all of this as he watched Rufus follow Jiya out of the hall. He shook his head, turning to the others who were looking at him with disapproving glances. "What? I'm saying this now so when she does come to find us, maybe she'd be more helpful...I didn't mean she was doing it now..." he sighed, adding, "I'll apologize later."

Agent Christopher gave him a silent lecture behind her gaze before asking, "What else do we know?"

Lucy filled her in on the men they had encountered from Jamestown having been in the colony, the strange marks in the mud, and the carved message on the tree. Then she described what Flynn believed it all to mean.

When Lucy finished, Agent Christopher turned to Flynn and Lucy. "How worried should we be that Rittenhouse or Bloodstone are taking whole villages?"

"I think it's Bloodstone," Flynn stated, crossing his arms over his chest. "They've taken people from their timelines before. Maybe they figured out how to take more than one."

Agent Christopher's brows drew together. "Are you suggesting they have more than one machine?"

He shrugged. "Or they've found a way to travel through time with more than four at a time."

Lucy added, "It could even be possible we're seeing different versions of them...Mason said our futures change…"

Denise sighed, pinching the bridge to her nose. "Get some rest." Lucy and Flynn exchanged glances before leaving Agent Christopher alone with her thoughts.

Flynn walked down the hall toward his room. His mind thought back over the details of the mission. He knew he missed details - details Future Jiya told him to look for. He tried to let his frustration with Wyatt go - knowing how hot headed the man could get - but this felt important to him. He hated that he didn't speak up but he knew how tired all of them have been lately - Wyatt especially. The poor guy had fallen asleep, just like the rest of them, it was unfair to hoist all of the blame onto Wyatt when the rest were just as guilty - he was just as guilty. He knew he owed the man an apology for not having heard anything during his watch - hard to do when you're asleep in a building on the outskirts of a colony.

He reached for the handle to his bedroom door when the alarms sounded overhead again. "Active time travel initiated." He sighed, head falling to his chest as he turned to head down the hall once more.

It didn't take long for everyone to regroup at the control room. Flynn's eyes darted about, brows drawing together as he realized Tenley hadn't joined them. He opened his mouth to ask about her when Jiya announced, "Paris, France, September 15, 1877."

Lucy blinked at the date, shaking her head. "There was...a constitutional crisis but that was May…" she shook her head again. "I'm sorry…"

Agent Christopher inhaled deeply. "Just be careful."

The four climbed into the Lifeboat. Rufus muttered, "Heigh-ho, heigh-ho."

"We just got back," Wyatt groaned, rubbing his palm against his tired blue eyes.

Lucy sat in silence alongside Flynn as she tried to make sense of what was coming. She could speak the language but that wasn't what had her afraid. She simply didn't know what to expect. The more they traveled through time lately, the less she knew of the events they were walking into. She hated that feeling of not knowing. If she didn't know what was coming, what purpose did she have as the team's historian? She hated feeling useless.

The Lifeboat disappeared from the landing room. Jiya turned to Agent Christopher and Mason. "Is it just me or is the tension getting thicker around here?"

1877

The team walked down the cobblestone roads of Paris, dressed in formal wear they managed to snag from the back of someone's coach as the evening approached. Rufus glanced down at his black shiny and tight dress shoes. He complained, "These shoes are not made for walking."

Lucy glanced over at him, lifting the hem of her blue dress to show the tight, high ankle shoe with quarter-sized buttons that were most likely digging into her flesh. "Shall we compare?"

Rufus's eyes lowered to her shoes, shaking his head. "Why didn't they ever think to make comfortable clothes early on?"

"Fashion statements over comfort," she told him, lowering her skirts. "It was a mark of wealth and status-"

Wyatt glanced about the road. "Not to sound like an ass," he began turning to the others, his exhausted expression apparent on his face, "but I'm tired. I just want to sleep in a comfortable bed so...if you don't mind, can we figure out why we're here and go home?"

Flynn nodded in agreement as he scanned the busy streets. There were several people dressed elegantly, walking arm in arm down the lane. His brows knitted together as he asked, "Maybe we should find out where everyone is heading?"

The others looked around to see several people heading in the same direction. Just on the other side of the street, around the corner, they could see bright lights and faint music growing. It wasn't until they began walking down the lane, Lucy realized where they were heading.

A smile grew on her face as her eyes lit up. "The Palais Garnier…" her voice sighed dreamily as she turned the corner and saw the beautiful building before them.

They saw the elegant architecture, the marble statues that stood erect like guards at each pillar. There were horse drawn coaches pulling up to the front, letting the elite out at the curb. The music grew louder as people filtered inside.

Wyatt stared at the massive opera house. "Let me guess," he started. "We need tickets."

Lucy nodded. "We need tickets."

Rufus turned to face Wyatt. "Are you going to 'Jack Dawson' it up again like you did with the Pulaski?"

Wyatt glared at him. "Something tells me these people aren't the gambling type."

Rufus nodded slightly. "So, you're going to pickpocket them like you did 'Grease Lightning'?"

"Want to say that a bit louder?" Wyatt complained.

Flynn shushed them, taking a step forward, eyes bouncing about the building.

"Did you just shush me?" Wyatt asked, stunned. Rufus twisted his lips in amusement.

Flynn waved the remark aside. "We need to get in through the workers' entrance." He turned his attention back to the others. "Come on."

"Where is he going?" Rufus asked.

"I don't know," Wyatt began, "but we should follow him."

The three rushed to catch up to Flynn, who was already crossing the street to make his approach from the back of the Opera House. Flynn had been to the Opera House once with his wife on their honeymoon but things were different in this timeline.

He led the team to the back of the building, spotting a few workers outside. They had a bottle of liquor they were passing back and forth. Flynn watched them for a moment, noticing their inebriated state. Glancing over his shoulder, he muttered, "Follow me."

The team quickly slipped by the drunkards without an issue. They darted through the back rooms of the Opera House, making sure to avoid the performers and stage hands who'd know they had snuck inside.

"Where are you taking us?" Wyatt whispered. "Do you even know where you're going?"

Flynn ignored the man as he led them towards the stairs to the upper floors. Slowly opening the door, Flynn glanced out to make sure the coast was clear. He motioned for the others to follow as he slipped through.

Wyatt's lips curved slightly, nodding with approval. "Not bad."

Flynn turned his gaze over to Wyatt. "You would have done the same thing if you knew the place." The two shared a brief moment of friendly camaraderie. Wyatt nodding his head in thanks over the compliment.

Rufus glanced at the two in shock. He lifted his finger, pointing between them. "Did you two just become friends?" Wyatt rolled his eyes at him.

"Do you recognize anyone important?" Wyatt asked Lucy as he looked around at the fancy people conversing in the halls.

Lucy struggled to pay attention as she stood captivated by the elegance of the opera house in its prime. The velvet red carpet lined the halls that led to the opera boxes with the faintest trimmings of gold. The marble statues held intricate candlesticks that glowed brightly, illuminating the building with its golden shine. Faint music could be heard wafting through the air as the orchestra within the concert hall warmed up, encouraging the guests deeper in.

"Focus," Wyatt hissed under his breath. He had seen that look on her face more than once. He knew how easily distracted she could be in certain historical moments - this was one of those times.

She blinked. "Sorry," she whispered, glancing around the crowds. Her dark eyes landed on two men at the far end of the hall causing her brows to draw together. She motioned briefly toward them. "That's Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and -"

"Sherlock?" Rufus asked, straining to get a good look at the tall man.

Lucy nodded. "The author for Sherlock Holmes," she confirmed, "and the man with him was the inspiration for Sherlock...his name is Joseph Bell. He was an incredible surgeon-"

"Sherlock wasn't a surgeon," Wyatt corrected her.

She glanced over at him. "I said he was the inspiration for Sherlock. I didn't say he was Sherlock."

"Do you think it's possible that Bloodstone or Rittenhouse would be here for them?" Wyatt questioned.

Rufus chuckled. "You think Rittenhouse are Cumberbitches?"

Lucy muttered, "I always preferred Jeremy Brett, myself." Rufus nodded slightly in agreement.

Flynn gritted his teeth, scanning the rest of the hallway, searching for anyone else who stood out - including potential sleepers.

Lucy became so awestruck with the building and the two men down the hall from them, she didn't see the portly man approaching them before he slammed into her. "Ooh!" she gasped, catching herself against Wyatt's chest who wrapped his arms around her before she tripped over her feet.

"I'm terribly sorry," the man stated, his voice sincere. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking. Are you alright?"

Lucy blinked, smiling at him. "I am, thank you."

He returned the smile, adjusting his pince-nez on his nose. The man was larger in nature, a mop of unruly curls that matched the graying beard and mustache. He dressed in the typical formalwear of the times, black suit with coattails, white gloves adorning his hands as he extended his hand toward her.

Lucy's mouth fell open as she saw the two she identified across the hallway nearing. Her eyes stared wide as she struggled to focus on one of them.

"There ye are," the taller gentleman said, eyeing the stout one before Lucy. "Arthur and I were just wondering where ye had disappeared to."

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Joseph Bell turned their attention to the team. Lucy swallowed, eyes locked onto theirs. The portly man chuckled. "I bumped into this lovely lady, quite by accident or rather, by fate," he turned back to Lucy, "excuse me, these are my colleagues, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Joseph Bell." The team smiled, nodding their hellos to the men before them. The portly man kissed Lucy's hand. "And I am Gaston Leroux."

Flynn saw Lucy freeze as the introductions were made. It didn't take the team long to realize that Lucy was in awe over the three men before them. He stepped forward and said, "Forgive my sister," he glanced at her before turning his gaze back to the men, "she's had a long journey to get here. May I introduce my sister, Irene Adler."

Lucy coughed as she felt the shock of Flynn's words hit her. She glared up at him before smiling at the three men. "Pleasure," she said.

Flynn continued, "This is Dr. Watson," he motioned to Rufus. Rufus blinked away the confusion and shock before nodding with a smile, standing straighter, happy to have a title during a mission for once. Flynn motioned over to Wyatt. "Mr. Moriarty." Wyatt shook his head slightly at his infamous alias.

Gaston smiled, shaking hands with all of them. "Thank you for the introductions, Mr. Adler," he said, shaking Flynn's hand. "Where are your seats this evening?"

Flynn patted his jacket before sighing heavily, feigning having lost them. "It would seem that I have misplaced our tickets-"

"Do not fret," Gaston started. "I bumped into your lovely sister," he smiled at her, "I feel it is my duty to share my box with all of you."

"We couldn't impose-" Flynn started.

"Nonsense!" Gaston interrupted, his voice booming. He turned to Joseph and Arthur. "You don't mind having a few extra friends join us, do you?" The two shook their heads, glancing at one another as Gaston turned back to the team. "It's settled! You shall join us!"

The team exchanged glances with one another as they followed the overly exuberant author to their box. Lucy gasped as she realized the box they were heading into was Box 5. She halted in her step.

"What's wrong?" Flynn asked quietly.

She licked her lips, staring at the door. "Box 5 was the Phantom of the Opera's preferred box…"

"So?" Wyatt asked, leaning over her shoulder.

She turned to face him. "Gaston Leroux is the author for The Phantom of the Opera." When he didn't seem to be following, she added, "Which took place in this very opera house?"

"I never read it," Wyatt admitted.

Rufus sighed. "I've got to make a list of movies for you to see when we get home." Wyatt turned to look at Rufus. Rufus added, "It's faster than reading."

"What's the big deal?" Wyatt questioned. "There's no real phantom."

Lucy gawked at him. She felt a loss for words. Before she could force herself to respond to Wyatt's remark, Gaston poked his head out of the box. "Is everything all right?"

Lucy's eyes bounced back to the man. She smiled. "Of course, I'm sorry." She brushed by Wyatt as she entered Box 5.

The team followed her into the semi-large box that overlooked the auditorium. Lucy's eyes lifted to see the beautiful chandelier overhead, glittering crystals against the candles surrounding it. It was a stunning sight to behold and she understood why Gaston Leroux was so enthralled by it.

Flynn sat down in the corner, next to Joseph Bell. Bell turned his attention to Flynn and asked, "What is it that ye do, Mr. Adler?"

"I work for the government," he told the man.

Bell's eyes narrowed at him but nodded curtly. "Interesting," he began. "Ye're lying, yet ye're not at the same time. Either ye're quite cunning or a man of mystery."

"I think every man has a bit of mystery about them," Flynn replied. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Bell's expression shifted from curiosity into amusement. "Quite right, I suppose." He asked, "What brings ye to Paris?"

"My sister-"

"She isn't yer sister, is she?" Bell commented. Before Flynn could retort, he waved the remark aside. "It is an obvious lie if one is aware enough to notice it."

Flynn studied Bell's eyes for a moment. He understood why Doyle used the man as the inspiration for Sherlock. He was quick to pick up details normal people believed without question.

Bell continued, "I also surmised that the names ye shared are not really any of yer names." He cocked his head off to the side. "It begs the question as to why ye'd lie about something as innocent as a name."

Flynn's lips twitched. "Would you believe me if I told you we were here to stop something horrible from happening?"

Bell studied Flynn carefully. "At least, good sir, that would be the truth."

Flynn narrowed his eyes at the man. He kept his mouth shut as the music started to grow. He wasn't sure what to make of Bell. Flynn already didn't fully trust any of the men they were sitting with - Bell especially, since his accent was so familiar to him.

Gaston Leroux turned to Wyatt, a large smile on his face. "Have you seen Christina Nilsson perform before?"

Wyatt shook his head. "Sorry," he started. "I haven't been to the opera before-"

"Oh," the man gasped. "You are in for quite the treat, my friend." He glanced down at the stage. "She's like an angel of music."

Rufus snorted behind them. Wyatt glanced over his shoulder to glare at him. He could see the amusement on Rufus's face but didn't understand the reference.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle sat between Lucy and Rufus. "How do all of you know one another?"

Lucy motioned over to Rufus. "He's a good friend," she stated, then remembered his alias, "and doctor."

"A doctor?" Doyle asked, turning his attention to Rufus. "What field, might I ask?"

"All kinds," Rufus said in a panic.

"Truly?" Doyle remarked. "That is quite the feat for someone of your stature. How did you manage it?"

Rufus started to shake his head, internally telling himself not to say what came out anyway. "It's all elementary, my dear Doyle."

"Fascinating," Doyle replied, puffing on his pipe. "Quite fascinating…"

Rufus felt saved the moment the lights in the opera house began to dim and the music grew louder. Applause erupted throughout the auditorium as they began the show.

The music built and a beautiful woman with long curly brown hair that cascaded down her back and shoulders stepped toward the front of the stage. She wore a lovely white dress with ruching, pink bows lining the back of the dress from her hips to the floor, decreasing in size as it left her hips. The train of her dress looked almost like layers of cakes as it drifted behind her, pooling into a puddle of white fabric against the wooden stage. The collar around her neck blossomed out in delicate pink lace, showing a little of her bosom. Her eyes stared up toward the balcony far away from her as she began to sing her song.

The melody of her voice was entrancing and it brought the team's attention straight to her. She was singing in Italian and Rufus was the only one who didn't know what she was singing about - the loss of her lover who had left for war and his fate was unknown. She was singing with such emotion that even though Rufus didn't understand her, he could feel it.

Flynn felt himself relating to the song. He felt that way when Tenley had disappeared and he didn't know if she was alive or not - only to find her in Rittenhouse's clutches. He thought back to Tenley, wondering how she was faring being at this new bunker - questioning if they made the right decision. There were too many unknowns.

The song ended on a long note and the applause erupted. The woman curtseyed before the music changed tunes and she began a new song. This time, a man joined her on the stage. They were singing about their time together and all the time that was stolen from them.

Flynn gritted his teeth, tearing his gaze away from the performance. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Joseph Bell studying him. Sighing, Flynn stood up and left the box for some air.


	51. The Stage Is Set

Standing out in the hall, Flynn ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. He could still hear the performance continuing on, though it was muffled through the walls that separated them. The door to the box opened and Bell slipped out. He cocked his head at Flynn. "Is everything all right?"

Flynn gave him a curt nod, standing straighter. "I'm fine. I simply needed a moment."

Bell's eyes narrowed on him. "It's quite the performance, is it not?" Flynn nodded and Bell added, "Ye relate to the words."

Flynn knew it wasn't a question but a statement. He could see that Bell had figured more about his personal demons than the ones he lived with at the bunker had. He opened his mouth to retort when movement down the far hall caught his attention.

Bell glanced over and spotted a dark figure disappearing into a workers' corridor. He turned his attention back to Flynn, thinking nothing of it until he saw Flynn's concentrated gaze. "What is it?"

Flynn held a hand out to silently tell Bell to remain where he was as he began to make his way over to the corridor. He heard footsteps clicking behind him and Flynn fought the urge to roll his eyes, knowing Bell didn't stay put as he instructed. He stopped by the door the man had darted into and pulled it open. He glanced inside carefully, seeing nothing but a long dark hallway with small lights illuminating through windows.

"It's probably a stagehand," Bell offered.

Flynn shook his head. "It didn't look like one…"

"What did he look like?"

Flynn glanced over his shoulder to look at Bell, who clearly hadn't gotten a good look at the figure. Flynn knew if Bell had seen the man, he would have been the first to offer going down the hallway in pursuit. "He had a long cloak over his head," Flynn stated. "I didn't get a good look at him."

Bell's brows knitted together. "Why would a stage hand wear a cloak?" He motioned to the opened door. "Perhaps we should take a look to ease your curiosity."

Without arguing, Flynn entered into the corridor; Bell close behind him. They navigated the darkened corridor together. The singing grew louder. The two realized they were entering the overlook of the dome to the auditorium. They had an eagle's eye view of the whole audience with clear sightlines of the stage where Christina Nilsson remained centered as they glanced through small porthole windows that lined the darkened corridor.

A bright light to their right illuminated the dark corridor briefly before the sound of a door closing brought the darkness back, causing them both to glance over their shoulders. "Looks like we've found our culprit," Bell whispered to Flynn with a pat on the back.

Flynn led the way along the catwalk toward the door. Reaching for the handle, he found that it was locked. Bell muttered, "How odd that he would lock himself out."

As the two turned to exchange glances, horrified screams erupted within the auditorium. They rushed over to the porthole windows, staring down at the audience. The crowds below were scrambling out of their seats, running down the packed aisles to escape the room. The massive crystal chandelier started to shake, the crystals rattling against one another before it broke off of its line, falling straight for the stage.

Christina Nilsson bent down, scooping her skirts up to rush away as quickly as she could. The glass and candle chandelier swung down, breaking the ornate ceiling overhead as it crashed. The candles fell, igniting the wooden stage. Stagehands rushed out from behind the side curtains to put the flames out.

Within the corridor Flynn and Bell stood in, they heard another scream from inside their hallway. They turned and rushed toward the sounds. Rounding the corner into another large stage room, an extra from the show cowered in the distant corner as they approached. Their eyes landed on the weight that held the chandelier up. Beneath the seven-ton weight, they spotted a pair of legs sticking out. Blood pooled out across the splintered wood floor, creating a river of crimson as it poured down the seams of the floorboards.

Bell comforted the horrified woman, trying to get her to tell him what she saw through her uncontrollable sobs. Flynn scanned the area, looking for their assailant. He noticed the door to the corridor opened quickly and the cloaked figure darted out. He shouted to Bell, "Stay here with her!" He didn't give him a chance to answer as he rushed after the figure.

Flynn ran out of the corridor, slamming into the door with his shoulder, glancing about the hallway that was filled with terrified fleeing guests. He stood up straighter, scanning the crowds as he searched for that familiar cloak. He spotted someone running against those rushing out of the opera house and pushed his way through the masses.

He managed to get through the fleeing crowds and found himself in a different room where stairs led deeper into the lower floors of the opera house. He started to follow when he heard a familiar voice shout out behind him, "Flynn!"

He halted, glancing over his shoulder to see Wyatt, Lucy, Rufus, Gaston Leroux, and Arthur Conan Doyle. He tried to steady his breathing as they rushed over to him. "I think they're going down-"

"Where is Joseph?" Doyle questioned, glancing about the area.

Flynn pointed in the opposite direction. "He's trying to get to the bottom of the attack-"

"Attack?" Wyatt repeated. He rubbed his temple, grimacing from pain for a moment before looking back at Flynn.

"The weight for the chandelier landed on someone," Flynn explained in a hurry. "He's back that way in the workers' corridor-"

"Why were you guys there?" Wyatt asked, blinking his headache away, face still contorted in discomfort.

Flynn sighed. "I don't have time to explain!" he called out as he started down the stairs.

"Wait!" Gaston shouted. "You shouldn't go alone!"

"You're right," Doyle agreed. "I shall accompany you-"

Flynn shook his head. "That's not a good idea-"

Wyatt started after Flynn. "I'll go with him," he said. "You guys find Bell and make sure everyone else is okay." His face contorted with discomfort as his headache felt worse.

Lucy and Rufus nodded, understanding what he really meant. They had to be sure that whoever was responsible for this - be it Rittenhouse or Bloodstone - every one of historical importance had survived and were accounted for.

Wyatt and Flynn darted down the stairs as quickly as they could. With every level they descended, the darker the lighting was. They reached the basement floor and Wyatt grabbed his shoulder to stop him. "Do you smell water?"

Flynn nodded curtly as he led them further in. "There's a lake under the opera house-"

"A lake?" Wyatt gasped. "How-"

"They never understood how it happened," Flynn informed him, eyes darting about the stone corridors. "When they built the foundation, there was a spring filling the area. They kept pumping the water out but were ultimately unsuccessful."

"So, they just built around it?" Wyatt questioned with a scoff.

Flynn nodded. "It's what inspired the Phantom of the Opera's phantom to live by a lake-"

Wyatt interrupted him, "I never saw it-" He hissed again at his headache.

Flynn narrowed his eyes at him. "You okay?"

"Migraine," Wyatt admitted. "It started during the singing-"

Flynn stopped him by placing his hand against Wyatt's chest. He pointed out across the water-filled basement. Sitting on an elevated platform was the familiar white Mothership. He exchanged glances with Wyatt. He mouthed orders to flank the machine.

Wyatt nodded and headed to the left, while Flynn headed right, both armed with their guns out before them. They were careful not to make much noise as they stepped into the cool water. The waters in the basement rose to their thighs as they pressed toward the Mothership.

Wyatt paused. His eyes narrowed at the machine before turning his attention back to the stairs they had come down. He slowly started to return to the stairs, feeling like they were being set up. As he returned to the landing of the stairwell, he heard heavy steps echoing against the stone stairs.

He kept his grip on his weapon firm as he waited until they fully descended the steps. He saw a familiar frame being carried by a cloaked figure. His mouth fell open as he saw the unconscious singer from the stage in the arms of a man.

Shaking the headache pain and shock of seeing the singer from his mind away, Wyatt raised his gun and aimed it at the cloaked figure. "Stop!"

The man whirled around. Wyatt's mouth fell open as he stared back into a pair of familiar crystal blue eyes - eyes that were filled with so much hatred and anger.

Wyatt's vision saw white from pain as he fell to his knees, gripping the sides of his head as he cried out. He heard the footsteps running away from him. He glanced up, forcing himself to look through the searing pain.

Flynn fired a shot, missing his target as the bullet ricocheted off the stone pillars. Wyatt shouted, "Flynn! No!"

Flynn shouted back, "Seriously?!"

The man entered the time machine with the opera singer. The door closed and the machine whirred to life, disappearing from the basement. Flynn felt the rush of wind as the Mothership vanished. Ripples in the water sloshed forward from the wind, creating mini waves until it finally settled back to a stagnant pool.

Flynn jutted his jaw out in frustration. He turned, wading through the water back to the stairs where Wyatt sat on his knees, holding his head. He stared at the soldier. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Flynn spat. "I could have stopped him from taking her!"

Wyatt lifted his head. His nose was bleeding and his eyes were bloodshot. "I'm sorry," he sighed.

Flynn's expression shifted from anger to worry. He knelt before Wyatt, studying his face. "What's the matter with you?"

Wyatt held his head, shaking it slightly. "That man was me."

The team regrouped in one of the smaller rooms near the exit. Flynn held onto Wyatt's waist, making sure he didn't collapse. "We need to get him out of here," Flynn stated. "We should head home before this gets any worse."

"We can't just leave," Lucy started. "I mean," she sighed, "we need to know what happened-"

"I kidnapped the singer," Wyatt groaned, his grip around Flynn's shoulder tightening.

Rufus opened his mouth to spout off a witty remark but stopped himself as he saw the pain on Wyatt's face, knowing now was not the right time for that sort of thing. Lucy, on the other hand, gasped in shock, "You kidnapped Christine Daae?"

Rufus's head swiveled over to her. "Hold up," he retorted. "As in the Phantom's Christine Daae? I thought her name was-"

Lucy nodded. "She was the inspiration for the character-"

A familiar British voice spoke behind them, "What happened to you lot?"

They looked over to see Bell, Doyle, and Leroux approaching them. Bell eyed Wyatt. "Ye seem to require a doctor."

Flynn was about to reject the offer but knew Bell saw through everything they had said to him so far and he wasn't countering them publicly. Bell approached Wyatt and began a cursory examination.

"Did anyone see the perpetrator leave the premises?" Doyle questioned, writing in his notebook he had pulled from his pocket. "It seems he just vanished into thin air." He turned to Rufus. "What do you believe, Doctor?"

Rufus cleared his throat. "Uh…" he stammered. "I would suggest the man slipped through some hidden doors within these very walls."

Lucy's lips pressed into a thin line. She knew he was only suggesting that due to the Phantom of the Opera's story about hidden passageways built into the Opera House.

Gaston cocked his head as his wide eyes darted about the Opera House, clearly envisioning his future story in detail.

Doyle tapped his chin with his finger. "Hidden passageways?" he asked. "How do you know there are those within this building?"

"Well," Rufus continued, shifting in place. "There is a lake under the building. It is also the only plausible way for someone to just vanish into thin air." Rufus caught Lucy's gaze as she rolled her eyes at him. He licked his lips and added, "Or he simply went out the front door during the panic from the crowds."

Doyle nodded slowly as he scribbled notes in his little book. "Elementary, indeed."

Bell stepped away from Wyatt, shaking his head. "It's the strangest thing…" he rubbed his chin, "he lacks any physical signs of a fight, yet he looks like he's gone three rounds with a pugilist." Bell lifted his eyes to meet Flynn's. The two seemed to have a silent conversation before Bell nodded slowly, almost understanding the unspoken words. "Ye best get him to a safe place to recover."

Flynn nodded. "Take care of yourself," he said sincerely, eyes turning to the others. "All of you."

Bell gave a curt nod before turning back to the others. "We should continue our statements with the constable."

The team watched as the three men walked away, shoulder to shoulder toward the auditorium. Rufus glanced back to Flynn. "We should leave before they figure out that we're lying to them."

"They already know," Flynn told him, adjusting his hold on Wyatt, his eyes lingering on Bell. "Let's get him out of here before he passes out."


	52. Time Enough For Love

Present Time

The Lifeboat returned to the padded landing room. Rufus was still enamored over the simple fact that the Lifeboat didn't make the clanking sound upon landing anymore. He was giddy with the idea of the Lifeboat finding a soft place to rest.

They climbed out of the Lifeboat, Flynn helping Wyatt. Denise eyed them. "What happened?"

Flynn led Wyatt toward the infirmary, brushing by Denise. "It's quite the story."

Denise followed the group across the large bunker to the infirmary, her dark eyes rolling slightly. "Well, I am on the edge of my seat."

Flynn helped Wyatt sit on the exam table, glancing around the room. "Where's Tenley?"

Jiya said, pointing her thumb over her shoulder, "She's in her room. She hasn't come out for a while."

Flynn's jaw tensed as he narrowed his eyes at her. "And no one thought to check on her?" He brushed by them toward Tenley's room, frustrated no one bothered to see if she was okay, to make sure she was still in this new bunker. Memories of her leaving to meet with his brother, Gabriel or Tim as she knew him by, came rushing back to him. He hoped she was okay.

He approached her bedroom door and knocked on it somewhat gently. "Nine?" He knocked again, this time, an urgency behind it. "Nine? Are you in there?" He heard subtle movements on the other side of the door before she opened it. His brows drew together as he stared deep into her dark eyes. His mouth parted on their own accord. There was a sense of familiarity behind her wide eyes as she stared up at him - a familiarity he hadn't seen in quite some time. "Nine?" he slowly started to ask, his eyes studying her expression. "Are you okay?"

Her dark eyes bounced around his face, examining him, almost taking in every detail of his being as if she hadn't seen him in years - like she was memorizing him. She seemed to be searching for something behind his stunned expression. Her mouth parted and her chest rose and fell in quick succession.

He opened his mouth to ask her another question but never got the chance - she jumped into his arms, lips crashing against his as she pulled him closer into her unexpected and unforeseen kiss.

He grabbed the doorframe with both hands to stabilize them before wrapping his long arms around her waist once he was firmly planted on his feet. His lips moved against hers with ease, relishing in the familiar feeling of her soft lips on his. She gripped the hair on the back of his head, pulling him closer to her.

Flynn's mind froze as he remembered Wyatt and his need for medical attention. He set her down on the ground, forcing himself to pull away from her. He sighed as they stared at one another, neither wanting to part. It killed him to end this encounter when he wanted nothing more than to reacquaint himself with her privately. "...Uh…" he swallowed, licking his lips and tasting her vanilla lip balm, "I...I want to talk about this later but…" he motioned with his hand toward the infirmary, "we need your help with Wyatt first."

Emotions washed over her from stunned to embarrassment, to seriousness. She closed her door behind her as she rushed toward the infirmary. Flynn stood there for a moment, watching her. He blinked away his confusion as he trailed behind her, gathering his composure as he walked.

When Flynn and Tenley entered the infirmary, Lucy had finished informing Agent Christopher about what took place in 1877. Denise asked, "So, do we know anything about the man who kidnapped the singer?"

Wyatt groaned. "Me." All eyes darted over to him, some shocked, others not. "It was me…"

Mason's mouth fell open as the realization struck him. "Then you're experiencing…"

Tenley's eyes darted over to him. "Experiencing what?"

Mason licked his lips. "We haven't been successful in traveling to a time where we already exist," he explained. "Every time we've tried, they came back…not themselves…" He saw the confusion on her face and tried to explain it a bit better. "Those who went back to a time where they exist experienced some catastrophic damage to their psyche. They never recovered."

Tenley's brows drew together. "You're saying he's not going to survive?"

"It depends on the length of exposure," he admitted. "Some who were only there for moments had... minimal damage."

Tenley nodded slowly. "Okay…" she said, blowing a sigh from her lips. "I need you guys to leave so we can get him into the MRI machine."

"Is that really necessary?" Wyatt groaned. He saw the look on her face, knowing she wouldn't relent, and added, "Never mind...I get it…"

Rufus turned to Jiya. "Do we have a copy of the Phantom of the Opera?"

Jiya cocked her head in thought. "I didn't peg you for a musical guy."

"I'm just curious as to how much has changed," he told her as they filed out of the infirmary. Mason and Denise left behind them but Flynn and Lucy stayed.

Tenley glanced over to them as Lucy asked, her dark eyes lingering on Wyatt with concern, "Can I stay?"

Tenley looked over to Wyatt, giving him the choice. "It's up to you."

"I don't care," he muttered, sidling onto the table for the MRI. Tenley offered a small smile to the worried Lucy as she began her examination of Wyatt.

Rufus and Jiya watched The Phantom of the Opera but found hardly any changes to the story which disappointed him. His disappointment was short-lived, however, when they watched Sherlock Holmes next and learned that Dr. Watson was a black man. Rufus noticed the character's appearance even looked like him. He laughed when Irene Adler looked like Lucy.

Mason brought a copy of his Phantom of the Opera novel as well as his Sherlock Holmes complete series out upon Rufus's request. Rufus thumbed through the pages and laughed when he noticed their likenesses were drawn in the pages with their alias' listed as characters.

Rufus was thrilled to discover how many amazing black actors got the chance to become Dr. Watson in the numerous renditions of the character. He felt proud to have created the inspiration for him - much like Bass Reeves should have been.

He read some of the inspirational clippings in the foreword of The Phantom of the Opera and despite them being interesting, he didn't see anything about the team and put it out of his memory.

Hours went by and the others returned to the infirmary to check on the progress on Wyatt. Tenley rubbed her temples, feeling the exhaustion washing over her. Wyatt asked, "So, what's the verdict, doc?"

She sighed, lifting her tired gaze to meet him. "I can't find anything wrong with you." She shrugged and added, "If what Connor says is true, then you better hope you don't run into yourself again because I don't know how much you could take of a repeat visit like that."

Mason crossed his arms over his chest. "Is this the extent of the damage from being around another version of himself for, what? A couple of hours?"

"There's no way of knowing," Flynn admitted. "He said he started having headaches during the performance and he finally collapsed when he was face to face with his future self."

Connor nodded. "There's no way of knowing if his future self experienced anything either…"

Rufus rubbed the back of his neck. "Time travel is giving me a headache."

Tenley sighed. "I think you should be careful from here on out." She glanced up to look at Jiya and Rufus. "Do you still have the transmitter pen?" They exchanged glances before nodding. She added, "I think you need to take it with you and keep an eye on it when it activates. If you start to feel any - and I mean any - headaches, you get out of there." Her eyes drifted to the others. "That goes for all of you."

The group nodded but glanced about each other before turning back to her. They noticed a difference with Tenley that they hadn't seen in a while. None of them spoke up about it.

She turned back to Wyatt. "You need to rest."

"I knew you were going to say that," he groaned. He stood up and sighed. "I agree with you. I'm beat." He nodded his thanks to her before crossing the room over to Lucy. Lucy helped Wyatt out of the infirmary toward their bedroom.

Rufus and Jiya left to watch another version of The Phantom of the Opera. Mason headed to the workshop to tinker with the items that were displayed there. Agent Christopher left to fill out reports to turn in when she was able.

Once everyone left the room, Flynn's eyes locked onto Tenley as she worked to clean up the infirmary. She glanced over her shoulder, catching him in the middle of his stare. "What?"

"We should talk," he told her. She nodded but he shook his head. "Not here. I'd rather we had this conversation privately."

Her eyes drifted to the floor as she thought over his request. "Your room or mine?"

"I'll come find you after I get cleaned up," he told her. "I need to get out of these clothes." She nodded aimlessly, watching him slip out of the infirmary.

Forty minutes later, Tenley returned to her room. She felt nervous for some reason. There were butterflies in her stomach and she didn't know why. She bit her lip as she paced in her room, waiting for Flynn.

A small knock landed on her door, breaking her concentration. She approached it, swinging it open to see Flynn standing there, his eyes lifting to meet hers, a sparkle lingering behind them. He offered a warm smile as she opened the door wider for him.

He entered her room, his eyes drifting across the inside - it looked similar to his room - clean, simple, warm. He heard the door close behind him and he glanced over his shoulder to see Tenley approach him. She seemed a little on edge.

Flynn licked his lips as he turned to face her. "How are you doing?"

She blinked at him, almost stunned by the question. It had been a while since someone had asked her that in this manner. "I...I'm fine…"

He studied her for a moment before he braved his next question. "About earlier-"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry," she quickly interjected. "I shouldn't have-"

He stepped closer. "No," he stopped her, "I'm not complaining...but I have to ask...What brought that on?" He stared deep into her eyes, seeing that sense of familiarity again. His heart slammed into his chest as he hoped her words were what he dreamt to hear for far too long.

She stared up at him. She licked her lips before whispering, "I remember…"

Flynn saw fear behind her brown eyes and didn't understand why. "You remember what?"

"Everything."

"Everything?" he repeated, his voice barely a whisper. He felt his heart leap into his throat. He struggled to regain his composure, reminding himself to wait - to be certain.

She stood before him bravely, reaching up to touch his cheek, feeling the stubble beneath her fingertips. "Everything," she whispered, her voice sounding so small at the moment.

Flynn couldn't contain himself any longer. He scooped her up into his arms and kissed her as though his life depended on it. He felt her arms wrap around his neck again as he pulled her closer to his body. His lips moved expertly against hers, demanding her surrender as he sought to conquer her. She didn't put up any resistance.

He set her feet back to the floor, bringing his hand up to cradle the back of her head keeping her in place against his lips. His other hand remained on her hip, making sure she didn't pull away. As she returned his kiss, he realized she had no desire to withdraw.

Guiding her backward, he led her to the bed. He misjudged the location of it, causing her to back up into the foot of the bed, both collapsing on the top as the back of her knees slammed into it, buckling from the contact. He readjusted himself over her to keep from crushing her with his full weight as his tongue plunged into her mouth, earning a gentle moan against his lips.

Flynn broke the kiss, panting for air as a question popped into his mind. He stared down at her, taking in the sight of her slightly swollen lips. Her gaze turned into one of confusion as he halted his actions to stare at her. He sighed, voice barely a whisper. "I've missed you…"

She smiled softly up at him. "I missed you, too…" She leaned up to meet his lips again, barely kissing him. He melted into her again, lips rarely parting from each other.

His heart exploded in his chest. The happiness that caused his being to soar was unexpected but it brought him so much joy, it couldn't be contained. He had missed her and he had dreamed of this moment since he discovered she was alive.

Questions raced within the dark recesses of his mind as he wondered how long she would remember everything - let alone how she managed to recover her memories. At this very moment, he didn't care. He relished in the present - he had to - for he didn't know how much of this precious gifted time he would have with her and he didn't want to waste a second of it with seemingly meaningless questions. He would have time to ask his questions later - at least, he hoped he would.

He silenced the growing questions as he kissed her again. He felt her hands against his broad shoulders, the tips of her fingers digging slightly into them, almost like a cat kneading a blanket. Her legs bent to allow him better comfort and access to her. He inhaled her scent as their lips met once more.

It didn't take him long to realize how far gone in love he was with this woman.


	53. Brave, New

The next morning, Flynn returned to Tenley's room with two mugs of fresh coffee. He had slipped out early before anyone else woke up to make the coffee and return. He closed the door quietly behind him, locking it out of habit. He turned to see Tenley's eyes fluttering open. She smiled at him, stretching slightly in bed.

"I didn't mean to wake you," he whispered, setting the mugs on the side table. He climbed back into the bed, wrapping his arms around her. He kissed the top of her head as she nuzzled closer to him.

"I got cold," she whispered. "Where did you go?"

He chuckled. "I made coffee."

She sat up slightly as he retrieved her cup, passing it over to her. She inhaled deeply. "Oh...this smells amazing…thank you!"

He watched her for a moment. Her mannerisms were much like how they were before her disappearance and memory issues. He missed this version of her. He took a sip of his coffee before placing the mug back onto the table. "So, Nine?"

Her eyebrow raised as she turned her gaze over to him. "So, Flynn?"

His eyes bounced about her face as he asked, "I have to ask...how did you get your memory back?"

She shifted in bed, setting the mug down on her end table. "You'll think I'm lying."

"I promise you," he reassured her. "I don't think there's anything you could say to me that would make me think you were lying."

She held his gaze before admitting, "I read about it."

"What?"

She nodded. "I found a book tucked under my mattress."

"What book?" he questioned, sitting up more.

She reached over the bedside, digging under the mattress. She returned with a leather-bound book. Before she could say anything more about it, the bunker alarms sounded.

"Active time travel initiated."

She sighed, setting the book back on the table. "Timing is fantastic." She looked at him. "I'll be out as soon as I get dressed.

He nodded, showing himself out of her room, making a mental note to grab that journal. He marched down the hallway. As he neared the bedroom of the others, they emerged.

"What time is it?" Rufus asked, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands.

Flynn didn't blink at the question as they crossed the main room. "6:04am"

Rufus groaned as they entered the control room. Jiya sat down, typing at the console. "Uh, wow," she muttered. She turned to look at the others. "New York. July 23, 1980."

Lucy thought about the date for a moment. She shrugged. "Everything I can think of wasn't in New York."

"1980, huh?" Mason recalled. "That's going to cause quite a problem for your crew…"

Denise nodded. "I noticed…" she glanced at them. "It looks like it will be Rufus, Lucy…" she paused, looking at Wyatt. She turned her gaze over to Tenley who had joined them as the date was revealed. "How is Wyatt? Is he safe to travel?"

Tenley opened her mouth, inhaling sharply. It was apparent on her face that she wasn't convinced. "I…"

"I'm fine," Wyatt chimed in. "I can do this."

"I think you might need to wait," Denise stated on behalf of Tenley. "Your encounter with your future self seemed to do a number on you."

"Come on," he complained. "I'm fine. I'll take the transmitter as we agreed and I'll be careful."

Agent Christopher studied him. He still looked beat up and exhausted. She shook her head. "I think it would be best if you waited. Get caught up on some sleep."

"Who's going to go with and protect them?" he countered. He motioned over to Flynn. "It can't be him because he's already alive!"

Agent Christopher nodded. "I understand that...but…"

Mason said, turning to look at Tenley, "It looks like Rufus, Jiya, Lucy, and Tenley."

Wyatt scoffed. "None of them have been trained-"

"Tenley has been," Mason countered. "Isn't that right? Didn't you say Rittenhouse was training you?"

Tenley blinked, feeling nervous as all eyes landed on her. "Sort of…"

"This is stupid," Wyatt complained. "I should be the one going-"

Agent Christopher ignored Wyatt and approached Tenley. She pulled the doctor off to the side where the weapon lockers stood. Opening it, she pulled out a sidearm. "Do you know how to use it?" Tenley stared at the woman for a moment with a half-shrug.

Flynn watched as Agent Christopher explained the basics to Tenley on her sidearm. He started to feel the panic rising deep within him. He just got the woman he loved back and he risked losing her again.

His heart leapt as he realized how much he loved her. He had said it to her once or twice but it felt different somehow. He wanted to tell her but now wasn't the time. He hoped it wouldn't be too late when he could.

Tenley took the gun and pulled on a jacket to hide the holster. She looked nervous as she approached the others. She didn't want to travel through time again. She didn't trust herself. She wasn't a warrior or a soldier. There was too much pressure on her shoulders to protect the others. She feared failing all of them.

Flynn saw the war raging inside her mind. He crossed the hallway, closing the gap between them. He grasped her shoulders gently, looking into her dark eyes. "Hey," he whispered. "You'll be okay."

She blinked at him, tears slowly welled behind them. "You don't even believe that," she pointed out. She blew a sigh out from her lips. "Let's just hope I don't have to use it…"

"I believe in you," he told her. "You'll be okay…"

Wyatt cleared his throat, stepping up to her. "Let me show you a few tricks, okay?" he asked, glancing up to Flynn, "unless you've done that already?" Flynn shook his head, stepping back to give Wyatt room.

After a moment, Agent Christopher said, "We have to move." Agent Christopher glanced over the team chosen to go. With a nervous voice, she stated. "Be safe."

Tenley offered a small smile to Flynn as she brushed by him, following the others into the Lifeboat. The hatch closed and Flynn and Wyatt watched as the others disappeared without them, both feeling useless at the moment.

1980

The Lifeboat landed inside an abandoned building. The windows were shattered out of the frames, creating a blanket of glass on the ground. The metal support beams standing on the cement floor to support the ceiling were rusted, showing its wear from the elements.

The team walked across the glass shards, crunching underfoot as they peered out of the broken window. Rufus patted his pockets. "I forgot the-"

"The transmitter?" Jiya asked, finishing his sentence. She held it up for everyone to see. "I've got you covered."

"What would I do without you?" he asked, smiling at her. He kissed her forehead.

She chuckled. "Probably get lost, stranded, or a variety of other things."

Lucy's eyes remained outside as she scanned the area. Tenley watched her for a moment before asking, "What are you thinking?"

Lucy finally tore her eyes away from the city to look at the doctor. "I'm trying to think up a reason for why we're here - why now? What is so important here?"

"Maybe it's not a what but a who?" Tenley suggested. "They've done that before."

Lucy nodded. "Usually we have a clear cut direction though when we travel back but...I don't know...something seems off." She turned to Tenley and added with her voice barely a whisper, "I feel it…"

Tenley saw the familiar look on her face as she nodded slowly. "Well, let's see what we can discover. Maybe we'll get a visit from a future version of someone."

Lucy shrugged. "Let's hope it's Wyatt if that is the case."

Rufus wrapped his arm around Jiya as the team began to make their way out of the old building and into the city of New York. The group continued down the sidewalk, taking in the difference between New York in the 80s to how they saw it in their present time.

As Lucy began randomly talking about the places they were seeing, almost to try to coax something useful for their purpose forward, Jiya stopped them. "Guys?" When she had their attention, she pointed across the street. "Is that Wyatt?"

The others glanced over to where she was pointing. Standing amongst the crowd of people waiting to cross the street at the crosswalk, was a man wearing a blue windbreaker with a hood pulled over. Despite the hood not hiding his face, the team noticed the familiar scowl and piercing blue eyes staring ahead. He didn't seem to notice them yet.

"That's definitely Wyatt," Rufus muttered. "I'd recognize that look of disapproval from a mile away."

Lucy rolled her eyes as she stared at Wyatt. She noticed he seemed different - more worn around the edges. The crowds at the crosswalk started to move and Lucy noticed Wyatt talking to someone quickly before he walked with the crowds. Lucy's eyes drifted through the moving people to see the familiar frame of Emma. "Is that Emma?"

She watched as Emma and Wyatt went in different directions. The team spotted the familiar red hair in the crowds, moving away from Wyatt and the others.

Tenley stopped the team. "Wait...something's not right."

"Yeah," Rufus agreed. "Emma just proved this is a Rittenhouse mission."

Tenley shook her head. "They separated." She glanced at them. "Wyatt was right there. Why would he walk away from Emma unless-"

"Unless he's working with her," Lucy finished. She chewed on her lower lip as she thought through what Tenley was suggesting.

Rufus's eyes widened at the thought. "You think Wyatt's working with Emma? With Rittenhouse?"

Lucy shrugged. "I saw him speak with her before they walked separate ways-"

"Hold the phone," Rufus interrupted. "You're suggesting Wyatt - your Wyatt - gung-ho, pull the trigger first and ask questions later, Wyatt… is working with Rittenhouse?"

Tenley's eyes drifted through the crowds. "We shouldn't keep our eyes off of them," she warned, turning back to them. "Rittenhouse is missing a time machine in our timeline, right? What if this is the moment they steal ours from us?"

Rufus's mouth fell open. "You...you think…"

Tenley shrugged her shoulders. "You're the one who's always saying time travel is confusing and all… but… if Bloodstone took the time machine from Rittenhouse to make the Death Star version-"

"How do you remember that?" Rufus interrupted her. "Or any of this, for that matter?"

Tenley licked her lips. "Yeah," she started, shifting in place, "I got my memory back recently."

Lucy sighed. "Can we discuss the memory thing later?" she asked. She turned back to Tenley. "You think because Bloodstone took the Mothership from Rittenhouse, Rittenhouse is looking for the LIfeboat?"

Jiya cleared her throat. "That's what my vision showed me…" she saw everyone look at her and added, "for what it's worth."

"Then we should head back to the Lifeboat," Rufus stated.

"I think you and Jiya should head back to the Lifeboat," Tenley stated.

"What?" Rufus muttered as he stared at her in disbelief. "What about you?"

Tenley motioned in the direction Wyatt had gone. "We need to figure out why Wyatt is here."

"I have a bad feeling about this," Rufus told her.

Tenley passed her gun over to him, careful as to not attract attention as she did so. "Take this," she whispered. "You'll need it more than us-"

Rufus stepped closer, whispering, "You're going up against Wyatt-"

"And you're going up against Emma!" she hissed back. "Besides, I have Wyatt's kryptonite."

"What's that?"

"Lucy," Tenley said with a smile. She pushed the gun toward him again. "Take it."

Reluctantly, Rufus took the gun from Tenley, pocketing it into his hoodie, hoping he wouldn't be shaken down by the local police. He grabbed Jiya's hand. "Be safe," he told them.

"Come back for us later, yeah?" Tenley replied. "Don't forget us."

He nodded and the two rushed back to the abandoned building where the Lifeboat sat unprotected.

Tenley and Lucy exchanged glances. With a heavy sigh, the two followed Wyatt's trail. Lucy's pace quickened, leaving Tenley to try to keep up as she glanced around. "Where do you think he's heading?" Tenley asked.

Lucy shook her head. "I have no idea," she said.

Tenley gasped for air. "Hey, slow down," she complained. "You're in such a hurry-"

Lucy stopped in her tracks, causing Tenley to bump into her slightly. Tenley looked at her before glancing over to see what had Lucy's attention. Lucy blinked at the building across the street. "The Metropolitan Opera House."

"You think he went there?" Tenley asked, squinting at the building as she tried to normalize her breathing. "What makes you think that?"

Lucy pointed to the revolving doors on the building. "Because he's heading inside right now." She grabbed Tenley's wrist, tugging her alongside as they crossed the street. "Come on!"

Tenley nearly tripped over her feet as she struggled to keep up with Lucy. The two reached the revolving door and Lucy pushed her way through first, Tenley following behind.

Once they were inside, Lucy's eyes darted around the entrance. She didn't see Wyatt. There were so many different exits that led deeper into the opera house, she knew they'd get lost if they randomly picked a direction.

"Any ideas?" Tenley asked, eyes bouncing about the large lobby. "He could be anywhere."

Lucy's lips twisted in thought. "He brought us here for a reason…" she muttered. "He's showing us something."

"Are you sure?" Tenley asked, unconvinced. "Maybe he's trying to distract-"

An usher started to walk by them when Lucy reached out to stop him. "Excuse me," she began. "Do you have a program of upcoming shows?"

The usher nodded, pointing across the lobby. "Over there on the shelf."

Lucy smiled and nodded her thanks before marching over. Tenley followed a couple of feet behind. Lucy snatched up a program, thumbing through the listed events.

"Anything?" Tenley asked, turning to look about the lobby. She felt eyes on them and was immediately on edge.

Lucy started to shake her head before she stopped on a page. She scanned the picture of all of the performers. "I don't know…"

A large metal door slamming across the lobby echoed loudly, startling both women. Their eyes shot over to the area, seeing the familiar hooded frame of Wyatt as he dodged into a dark side hallway.

Lucy grabbed Tenley's wrist, tugging her along. "Come on! We can't lose him this time!"


	54. In Hushed Whispers

Rufus and Jiya climbed the rickety stairs back up into the abandoned building where the Lifeboat remained. Rufus had the gun aimed out before him like he'd seen Wyatt do it numerous times before as they cautiously moved forward. He glanced about the nearly empty floor, eyes darting around but finding nothing except the Lifeboat, sitting exactly where he left it. He motioned with his head for Jiya to follow him.

They carefully made their way over to the Lifeboat. Rufus glanced inside, finding it empty while Jiya looked over the outside. They returned to one another at the entrance. "It's clear," Rufus whispered, turning his gaze over the empty room once again.

Jiya nodded slowly. "It's okay on the outside too..." She watched Rufus for a moment. "Do you think it was a distraction? An effort to separate us?"

Rufus's brows furrowed, slight shrug. "I'm not sure…"

He turned to Jiya, ready to speak again when they heard the familiar sounds of footsteps echoing from the stairwell. He motioned for her to get into the Lifeboat. He gave Jiya a boost, following her once she got inside.

The two waited for a moment, listening to the sounds as they thumped closer. The moment Rufus spotted the unforgettable red hair, he hissed, "It's Emma! Get us out of here!"

"What about - "

Rufus didn't let her finish. "We'll come back for them! Get us out of here!"

Jiya jumped into the pilot's chair just as Emma opened fire upon them. The hatch closed. Bullets ricocheted off the chaise. The Lifeboat roared to life and disappeared from 1980.

Emma blew a hard sigh from her lips, gritting her teeth. She shook her head, seething from the failed attempt to take the Lifeboat away from them. She wondered what had gone wrong and where.

Present Day

The Lifeboat returned to the padded landing room of the Bloodstone bunker. When the two rushed out of the padded landing room, Wyatt and Flynn stared at them, noting two members were missing. The panic washed over Wyatt's expression as he glanced between the returning two. Wyatt's voice began to rise as he asked them, "Where are they?"

"We had to leave -," Rufus started to explain, hands lifting defensively.

Wyatt grabbed Rufus by the collar, panic coursing through his veins as he demanded, "Where are they?!"

Flynn broke Wyatt's hold of Rufus, pushing the soldier away, keeping a hand on the soldier's chest. "You're not going to get answers from him if you beat him up!" Flynn shouted.

Rufus jerked his hoodie down to straighten it, shifting in place. His eyes darted over to a worried Jiya as she snaked her arm around his comfortingly. Rufus met Flynn's gaze. "Thanks," he muttered. Turning to the others, he spoke louder for them to hear as Agent Christopher walked over. "We saw Future Wyatt and Emma talking to one another - "

"Excuse me?" Wyatt choked, trying to calm down. "You expect me to believe-"

"Shut up," Flynn told him, shooting him an annoyed glance. "Let him finish."

Rufus nodded his thanks once more to Flynn, eyeing Wyatt carefully. "They went in different directions," he explained. "We decided to follow them in case Emma wanted to steal the Lifeboat...and she did. She attacked us as soon as we returned to the machine - "

"So, you guys decided to separate and leave half of you behind - the helpless ones at that?" Wyatt seethed, motioning at Rufus's hand, "And I see you have Tenley's gun." He scoffed, running a hand through his hair out of frustration.

Flynn's eyes drifted down to see Rufus holding the gun Agent Christopher had given Tenley. He gritted his teeth, keeping his calm as he knew there had to be an explanation.

Rufus nodded. "Tenley thought we'd need it more than them."

Jiya agreed, "She was right."

Wyatt's accusations started. "Or those two are dead because they were unarmed - "

Rufus interrupted Wyatt, voice rising. "Tenley said future you wouldn't harm them because Lucy was there - "

Wyatt scoffed, trying hard not to laugh, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. "If I was working with Rittenhouse, what makes you think Lucy would be able to talk me out of harming any of you?"

Flynn cocked his head slightly as he listened. The man had a point. If the future version of Wyatt ended up betraying them and going to work for Rittenhouse somewhere in the future, that was a pretty clear indicator he and Lucy were no longer on good terms with one another.

Rufus blinked at them. "So, what do we do?"

Before anyone was able to answer, the overhead alarms sounded. "Active time travel initiated."

Everyone glanced at each other, waves of confusion washed over them as Wyatt snatched up a couple of guns from the locker, passing one over to Agent Christopher and Flynn, keeping one himself. They shuffled into the control room.

Jiya sat down at the console, brows drawing together as the information popped up onto the screens. "Uh…" she lifted her head, eyes gazing out the window.

Agent Christoper asked, "Well? What's going on?"

Jiya motioned to the landing pad just as the Mothership landed next to the Lifeboat. "Uh...we have company?"

They watched from the control room as the door to the Mothership opened. Holding their breaths and gripping their weapons tight, they watched in anticipation of who would exit. When they spotted a familiar head of blonde hair poke out from within the machine and a pair of blue eyes staring at the mirrored window to the control room, smiling at them, the team exited the control room to head toward the landing pad.

The door to the landing pad opened just as the team tried to greet their company who beat them to the threshold.

"What's he doing here?" Wyatt growled, glancing up to meet Flynn's gaze.

The team stood face to face with Rowan who entered the hallway. Rowan nodded his hellos to the others, a polite smile on his face. It was obvious to Rowan they wanted to know why he was there. The tension between all of them was thick and Rowan saw it in their body language.

"How are ye liking the new accommodations?" he asked.

"What are you doing here?" Wyatt demanded, eyes narrowed at the man. "You said you wouldn't be here for another 15 years."

Rowan sucked his teeth, tilting his head ever so slightly at the remark. "Aye, we did," he sighed, "Unfortunately with the recent developments, we're going to have to come sooner."

"What does that mean?" Agent Christopher asked. "How soon are you talking?"

"Now," Rowan told her. "We need to come here now."

"Hold on!" Wyatt snapped, holding his hand out to stop people from saying anything. "You're not doing anything - "

"We don't have time to argue," Rowan interrupted, turning his gaze from the angry Wyatt to the stunned Agent Christopher. "Might I have a word with ye?"

Denise stood straighter, eyes darting about the others. She nodded, realizing Wyatt would never allow Rowan to finish his sentence if she allowed them all to join in on the conversation. She motioned for him to head deeper into the bunker.

Wyatt grabbed Denise's arm, stopping her from moving as Rowan walked by them. "This is a mistake - "

Her eyes narrowed on him. "We need to understand what happened, don't you think?" she pulled her arm out of his grasp, "I can't make a decision without all of the facts."

While Wyatt and Denise were speaking in hushed angry tones, Flynn approached Rowan, studying him carefully. "What's happened?"

Rowan turned to address him. He relaxed in Flynn's presence but Flynn could see the lingering fear behind the man's expression. "Unforeseen events have pushed our hands - "

"To do what?" Flynn questioned, head cocked slightly to the side and his arms crossed over his chest. "What happened in 1980?"

Rowan nodded slightly as he realized what Flynn was concerned about. "Ah...Ye're worried about Tenley," he pointed out with a nod. "Of course, ye are...I forgot for a moment they were on that mission..." his eyes locked onto Flynn's and he cleared his throat, stating knowingly, "Don't worry. My brother is with them."

"Your brother?" Flynn repeated. His anxiety and concern for Lucy and Tenley increased, despite Rowan attempting to ease any fears for their safety. Flynn learned to eventually trust Rowan but he simply didn't trust Quinn.

Rowan nodded, further explaining, "I wanted to be the one to help them but...I was needed here."

"To do what?" Flynn questioned, fear rising in his chest. He asked the question he wasn't sure he wanted the answer to, "Are Lucy and Tenley safe with your brother?"

Rowan's eyes darted back to Denise and Wyatt for a moment, sighing as he realized Wyatt wasn't giving up until he was satisfied with whatever he was trying to convince Agent Christopher to do or not do. Rowan turned his stormy blue eyes back to the anxious Flynn. "Quinn will protect both of them, I'm sure." He inhaled deeply as he stepped closer to Flynn, his voice dropping low so no one else could hear. "In the future, Wyatt joins Rittenhouse."

"So, we've learned," Flynn admitted.

Rowan shook his head, waves of emotions Flynn couldn't identify quickly enough washed over the man's features. "No," he whispered, his tone growing a sharp edge to it. "Ye don't understand…" Rowan's expression hardened as he turned back to watch Wyatt and Agent Christopher again, "Wyatt's leading Rittenhouse in the future..."

Flynn's brows drew together, mouth parting slightly as he stood straighter at Rowan's words.

Rowan turned back to Flynn, his stormy blue eyes misting over with tears as his voice cracked ever so slightly. He choked, "And he's slaughtering us all."


	55. Ominous Revelations

1980

Lucy led the way through the Metropolitan Opera House with Tenley keeping up as best as she could. Lucy was determined to track down Future Wyatt to find out what was happening - why he seemed to be working with Emma.

Tenley panted for air. "Are you sure he went this way?"

Lucy shook her head. "I'm not sure of anything right now-" Lucy stopped suddenly, causing Tenley to crash into her. Lucy held her finger to her lips as she pointed across the auditorium.

Tenley's eyes drifted across the room to see the performers on stage for rehearsals. The orchestra sat in the pit warming up. She turned to look down the hallway. It was empty.

Lucy studied the performers carefully, hoping to recognize someone. When she saw them wearing ballet shoes, she tilted her head to the side. "Wait…"

"What?" Tenley asked. She saw a light bulb illuminate inside Lucy's head as she seemed to remember something. "What is it?"

Lucy grabbed Tenley's hand, pulling her back to the lobby. "We need to find that program again." Tenley sighed, frustrated with being pulled around by the wrist. She kept her thoughts to herself as she followed Lucy's lead.

The two stopped at the stand with the programs, once more and Lucy released her hold of Tenley to scour through the pages again. She stopped on a page in the middle. "The Berlin Ballet…"

Tenley watched Lucy's face as the historian's expression shifted from thinking to realization. "What? You have that look…"

"I can't believe I didn't think of it before…" she muttered, flipping through the program again. "I need to find...Ah! Here! The pictures of the performers…"

Tenley glanced over her shoulder, looking at the headshots of the performers. "Are you looking for someone in particular?"

"Maybe," Lucy admitted. "Though…" she lowered the program, before turning her gaze upwards in thought, "she's not in the ballet…" she flipped through to the orchestra members. She stopped, curling the front part of the book around before pointing to a picture. "We're here for her…"

"Why do you say that?" Tenley questioned. "Who is she?"

Lucy sighed. "In this time? Her name is Helen Hagnes Mintiks," she explained. "In 1877? She went by Christina Nilsson…" she turned her gaze to Tenley, "she was the opera singer that inspired the Phantom of the Opera…But in 1980, she's a musician who was murdered during the intermission of the ballet..."

Tenley's brows drew together. "Wait," she began. "Isn't she the one Future Wyatt kidnapped?" Lucy jutted her jaw out, nodding. Tenley asked softly, "Why would he do that? Why would he kidnap her and bring her here, only to kill her later? It doesn't make sense."

Lucy's eyes locked with a familiar frame heading deeper into the Opera House. She recognized that frame and he waited until he caught her attention before slinking down the hall. She whispered, "Let's go ask him."

Tenley watched as Lucy began to walk toward the hall across the lobby - it was then, she noticed the figure in the shadows walking deeper into the Opera House. Tenley's guard raised instantly. Something felt off about this meeting. Despite her gut and intuition telling her to not follow, she did, if only to protect Lucy.

The two women navigated through the dark hallways until they found themselves in the basement of the opera house. "Are you sure he came down here?" Tenley whispered, eyes darting about the area.

Lucy nodded, motioning to a cracked door where some light seeped out into the hallway. "I'd say so."

Tenley cocked her head slightly. "I don't think we should do this…"

Lucy didn't look at the doctor as she inched her way through the darkened hallway. "Come on…"

Tenley inhaled deeply, releasing a shaky breath. "This is a bad idea…"

The two tiptoed their way down the hallway, nearing the dressing room door. Lucy reached out cautiously, opening the ajar door further before entering the room, Tenley following close behind.

Standing in the middle of the dressing room, pushing his hood over his head to fall to his shoulders was Future Wyatt. He stared at both women as they stood in the doorway. His blond hair had darkened slightly with a shaggy appearance. His blue eyes seemed grayed from time. He blinked at them. "Took you long enough."

Lucy licked her lips, carefully choosing her words. "Wyatt-"

He held his hand up to stop her. "Why are you here?"

Lucy blinked at him. "What?"

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "Where's the rest of them?"

"The rest of who?" Lucy asked, confused.

Future Wyatt raised an eyebrow at her. "The rest of the team," he stated. "I know you didn't come by yourselves-"

Lucy held his angry stare, remaining as calm as she could. "Why? Are you concerned about their wellbeing?"

He smirked. "I see some things never change."

"What does that mean?"

"You're still so stubborn," he spat at her, his eyes flashing with ire. "You never could just do what you were told-"

Tenley's eyes widened and her mouth fell agape as she listened to Future Wyatt's words. She couldn't believe how much hatred he spewed at Lucy - the woman he claimed to be in love with.

Future Wyatt's eyes drifted over to Tenley. "You look just the same as I remembered."

Tenley stared at him, unsure how to respond. "Thanks?"

Future Wyatt's expression softened slightly as he explained, "The last time I saw you...you were…" he held his hands up to show how small she was as he continued, "just a baby… a small, innocent, beautiful baby." He lowered his hands as he blinked at her. "I never got to hold you for more than a couple of hours." He pushed his tongue into his cheek as he stated, "The last time I saw you like this" he motioned down the length of her, "...you were disappearing through time."

Tenley shifted awkwardly in her place, eyes darting between Future Wyatt and Lucy. She could see he was a loose cannon of sorts. She didn't know if she should say something or not. Her heart raced as he took a step forward. She tugged Lucy back with her.

Future Wyatt inhaled deeply. "You look good though," he said. "I guess I should be thankful for that much." His eyes darkened as he turned his gaze back to Lucy. "No thanks to you."

"Why are you here?" Lucy asked. "Why did you come here?"

"You wouldn't understand-"

Lucy interrupted him. "Why did you kidnap Christina Nilsson? Why did you do that?"

He chuckled. "I'm leveling the playing field."

"What does that mean?" Lucy pushed. "I don't understand."

He licked his lips. "Bloodstone has been taking people from history to train as soldiers against Rittenhouse. I decided to do the same in return."

"You're saying you trained her to become a sleeper?" Lucy asked, trying to keep up.

He shook his head. "I didn't train her," he admitted. "Emma did."

"Emma?" Lucy repeated. "Is that why you were with her earlier?"

His face faltered. "You saw that?" he asked. He shook his head, chuckling. "That's why the others aren't here…" He scratched his jaw. "It doesn't matter. We'll still manage to take the Lifeboat-"

"Why are you doing this?" Lucy asked. "What happens in the future-"

Tenley kept her grip on Lucy, pulling her back again. She could see the look on Future Wyatt's face. He was one push away from smacking Lucy. Her guard rose again.

He sucked on his teeth. "A lot of betrayal from people who once called themselves friends."

"We're still your friends-" Lucy started.

His eyes burned red as he kicked a nearby chair. "You were the one to betray me!" he shouted. The two women jumped from freight, backing out of the dressing room. Future Wyatt followed, shouting, "You turned against me! You managed to turn them all against me!"

Tenley tugged on Lucy. She begged Lucy to come with her. She whispered, "We have to go...now!"

The two turned to run. Future Wyatt shouted at them, "You can run but you won't make it out of here alive!"

Tenley glanced over her shoulder to see Future Wyatt heading down a different hallway. She turned to look before her. "He's pissed."

Lucy fought the urge to sob. She didn't know what happened between the two of them but all she knew was Future Wyatt was not the same man she knew and loved. He was darker, more sinister than she ever thought possible. She questioned what drove him to this point - this point of no return. He wasn't a villain but this future version of him was showing he could become one if things didn't change course.

The two turned a corner and slid to a stop. Standing at the end of the hallway was Future Wyatt. He cocked his head slightly at them. "I told you," he called out to them as they turned to flee, "you can't hide from me."

Lucy followed Tenley as they darted down another hallway. Tenley stopped long enough to glance in the adjacent hallway they came across. Glancing left and right, she thought about which direction Future Wyatt could easily reach before them. She pointed to the left. "This way."

"Are you sure?" Lucy asked, following close behind.

"I have no idea," she stated, glancing about the hallway. "But we have to keep moving."

Lucy peered over her shoulder. Following them at the end of the hall was the familiar silhouette of Future Wyatt. "He's behind us."

"Keep running!" Tenley told her, turning down another hallway. "We have to find a way out of here!"

Just as Tenley rounded the corner to lead them further into the building in an attempt to hide from Future Wyatt, she slammed into a solid frame. She felt hands wrap around her upper arms. She fought against the hold before the person gripped her tighter, shaking her slightly to gain her attention.

"Hey!" a familiar voice hissed. "Would ye take it easy?"

Tenley's head snapped up, eyes wide as she stared into the dark eyes of the scarred face she knew so well. "Quinn?"

He offered a short smile. "Are ye okay?" He released his hold on her.

She opened her mouth to speak but words were failing her. She hadn't expected to see Quinn. Lucy neared them, whispering, "He's coming closer-"

"He who?" Quinn asked, brows drawing together.

"Wyatt," Lucy started to say, her voice breaking slightly. Tenley glanced over to see the tears behind Lucy's eyes.

Quinn leaned around the corner, careful not to attract Future Wyatt's eye. He saw the man looking for the two women. Pulling himself back around to look at them, he motioned for them to stay quiet as he led them down the hall and into a different room.

Once inside the room, Quinn quietly closed the door, locking it behind them. He turned to face them, keeping his finger pressed against his lips. After standing in silence for a few minutes, Quinn asked, "What are ye two doing here?"

Lucy swallowed her nerves. "We believe Rittenhouse is here to kill Helen Hagnes."

Quinn raised an eyebrow at her. He was taken by surprise that Lucy shared that information so quickly and willingly. He would have expected more resistance from her. "Why do ye think that?"

"Because Future Wyatt kidnapped her in 1877 at the Palais Garnier Opera House," Lucy explained.

Quinn's eyes narrowed. "Did he tell ye why he kidnapped her?"

"He said he was leveling the playing field against Bloodstone," Lucy told him. "Because you were kidnapping people from history and turning them into sleepers."

Quinn chuckled softly. "Is that so?"

Tenley and Lucy exchanged glances. They turned back to him. Tenley asked, "What's going on, Quinn?"

Quinn shook his head slightly. "What else did he say?" He saw the confused looks on their faces and asked, "Did he tell ye he was working with Rittenhouse? Did he tell ye he lured ye here to kill ye?"

"No," Lucy said with a shake of her head. "He wouldn't-"

Quinn held her gaze, offering a small sympathetic gaze. "He's not the Wyatt ye know."

"He's in there," she retorted. "I know it." The look of desperation and hope was apparent in her expression. She believed her words but there was a part of her that didn't - that was the part Quinn zeroed in on.

"Ye seem sure of that," Quinn pointed out. "And when he does try to kill ye? Are ye still going to believe he's in there?" He pointed to Tenley. "Are ye willing to risk her life on that assumption as well as yers?"

Lucy's mouth hung open as she tried to think of what to say to that. Tenley's eyes darted between the two. She finally turned her gaze over to Quinn. "Why are you here?" He turned to look at her and she quickly added, "Not that I'm not grateful for your timely rescue…"

Quinn smiled at her softly, sighing gently. "I'm here for a variety of reasons…"

"Such as?"

He glanced between the two, a sad look washing over his features. "Ye're right...about Helen being Christina…" he shook his head, "but Rittenhouse isn't here to kill her."

The two women gasped at his admittance. "What?" Tenley asked, her voice barely a whisper.

He licked his lips. "I'm not the one killing her if that's what ye're so afraid of," he told her. "Someone else will take care of it for us."

"But why?" Lucy asked. "What did she ever do to you?"

"She's Rittenhouse," he replied, eyebrows drawing together. "She's the enemy now."

"How is it any different from what you've done?" Lucy countered, hands on her hips. "You've stolen people from their times and trained them to be sleepers-"

He nodded. "And look how that turned out," he said. "And if ye haven't noticed, we haven't done that in quite some time." He saw the questions on their faces. He sighed as he stated, "If ye must know, she's an unfortunate circumstance of life."

"What does that mean?" Lucy asked, brows drawing together as her eyes narrowed at him.

"Helen Hagnes was killed during intermission by-"

"A stagehand," Lucy concluded. "I know the story. It inspired several rumors about a 'real-life Phantom of the Opera' to circulate-"

Quinn nodded. "Her death truly was committed by a nobody." He looked between the two. "We had nothing to do with her death, I promise ye." He could see the thoughts racing in their minds. "I know ye have questions," he admitted. "I promise to explain it to ye later but right now, we need to get ye out of here before it's too late."

Lucy questioned, "How can we trust you?"

"Listen," Quinn began, voice teetering annoyed and calm, "ye can lecture me later. For now, I need to get both of ye out of here before they find ye."

"They?" Tenley repeated.

Quinn's dark eyes drifted from Lucy to Tenley. He nodded. "Ye didn't think Wyatt came alone, did ye?"

"We know Emma is with him," Lucy said.

Quinn's eyebrows raised as he stood up straighter. He realized they had no idea what was really going on. He knew if he shared the truth now, they wouldn't believe him. "There are... others with them." He stressed the word 'other' in hopes they would realize the danger they faced.

Lucy chewed on her lip, unconvinced. Her eyes darted over to Tenley, silently asking her for her opinion. Tenley nodded - she trusted Quinn despite his lies in the past - the same lies he said to protect her. Lucy sighed, knowing they didn't have many options. "Fine," she said with a shrug. "I guess we'll follow you."

Quinn nodded slowly, understanding their hesitation. He turned his gaze over to Tenley, offering a thankful smile before leaning his ear against the door. It was silent. He pressed his finger against his lips as he opened the door, motioning for them to follow him out.

Quinn led the women back into the dark hallway. He kept his guard up while scanning the area as they moved stealthily down the quiet and dimly lit corridor. Lucy held onto Tenley's hand as they followed Quinn closely.


	56. The Future That Never Was

Rounding the corner of the dark hallway, Quinn expected to see signs of Rittenhouse, yet there appeared to be no sign of anyone in the building. He could still hear the rehearsal for the ballet proceeding as usual as the music from the orchestra drifted throughout the building.

Tenley held Lucy's hand tightly while her eyes drifted behind them. No one was following them but she could feel eyes on them - watching their every move, causing the hairs on her body to stand at attention. Her heart raced as she expected someone to come darting out of the shadows to grab them like a horror movie.

Quinn silently ordered them to stop long enough to peer around the corner. His eyes scanned the brightly lit lobby. Aside from an usher speaking with a patron, he didn't see anyone lurking about. Using his hand, he motioned for them to follow as he turned the corner.

Just as they picked up the pace to flee from the building, a familiar frame darted into their path from the revolving door, preventing them from leaving. Emma raised her gun aimed at them. "Leaving so soon?"

Tenley and Lucy noticed Emma looked aged. Her voice was deeper than usual, her reddish hair was streaked with gray patches and there were heavy dark bags under her green eyes, despite that mischievous glint they always carried, with just the beginnings of crow's feet at the corners.

Quinn held his hands out to his side, shielding Lucy and Tenley from Emma's aim. He glared at the red-head. "Don't make a mistake ye'll regret."

Emma smirked. "I've made plenty of them," she stated, her gun firmly aimed at the trio. "This isn't one of them."

"I wouldn't be too certain of that," Quinn retorted, dark eyes narrowing at the woman in a silent challenge.

A familiar voice spoke behind them. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

Glancing over their shoulder behind them, Lucy and Tenley saw Future Wyatt emerging from the dark hallway they had just come from with his gun aimed at them. "Don't fight us," he suggested. "We just need your help - "

"Our help with what?" Lucy asked, hopeful she'd be able to reach the Wyatt she knew.

Quinn growled, "Don't listen to him!"

"Shut up!" Future Emma snapped at him, her grip tightening on her gun as she turned it on Quinn.

Future Wyatt took a small step forward. "We need the Lifeboat," he admitted. "At this point, I'd take any machine but I don't think your... 'friend'... here would be willing to part with his."

"Yer right about that," Quinn growled again through gritted teeth.

"Quinn," Tenley whispered, her tone laced with a warning. She could see the hatred on Future Emma's face and the look of determination on Future Wyatt's. She knew neither one would hesitate to kill any - or all of them - if given the chance.

Future Wyatt cocked his head to the side. Lucy spotted a large reddish scar running down the length of his neck - a scar she had missed previously. She wondered how he got it and if had anything to do with why he was so angry.

Footsteps clicked across the marble floor towards them. "We've isolated the location of the Bloodstone Mothership," a new voice proclaimed, nearing the others.

"Sounds like great news to me," Future Wyatt said with a sly smile, his eyes locked with Lucy's.

Lucy glanced over Quinn's shoulder to where Future Emma stood. Standing next to the red-head was a blonde woman that was all too familiar.

Future Wyatt chuckled as he watched the shock wash across Lucy's face. "You remember my wife, Jessica, don't you?"

Tenley's mouth fell open as her head snapped over to look at Jessica. She blinked at her, shocked to see the dead woman still alive. "What…?"

"Turns out," Future Wyatt began, "Jessica isn't dead like I was told. It was all a ploy...wasn't it, Quinn?"

Tenley turned her gaze from Jessica to Quinn. "What's he talking about?"

Quinn spoke through gritted teeth. "Rittenhouse raised Jessica and staged her death...isn't that right, Emma?"

Lucy's head was swimming as she stared at Jessica with tears in her eyes. Jessica stood beside Future Emma with a smug smile. "Why…"

"Why what?" Future Wyatt asked, a hint of amusement behind his tone. "Why did I go back to Jessica?" He shook his head as Lucy forced herself to look at him. "It's quite simple, really...after your betrayal to me, I left. I knew where I belonged and it wasn't with you and Homeland Security."

Future Emma rolled her eyes. "Can we get this over with?" The group looked at Emma as she spat, "Do what you came here to do...Kill them and let's get their Mothership!"

Lucy stared at Future Wyatt. "You wouldn't hurt us -"

Future Wyatt blinked at her, jaw tensing. "You hurt me-"

"Yes, yes," Future Emma cut him off, her voice growing annoyed. "We all get it! You two lovebirds had a falling out after Princess Lucy hid her beloved child from Soldier Boy Wyatt...blah blah blah. We're wasting time here, Wyatt! Kill her and let's do what we came here for!"

Future Wyatt lifted his gun, aiming it across the trio in the middle to Future Emma. "Shut up!" he warned her. "We're doing this my way-"

Emma chortled. "Bold," she said with a sardonic smile. Her green eyes drifted over to Lucy. "Has he told you that he kills you for your betrayal yet?"

Lucy's brown eyes widened. Tenley felt Lucy's grip on her hand tighten and tremble. Quinn backed into them, wrapping his hands around them as he slowly inched their way out of the way of Future Wyatt and Emma.

"Shut up!" Future Wyatt warned, gun fully trained on the red-head, ignoring the trio moving aside. "If you don't, it will be the last thing you do for Rittenhouse- "

With a raised eyebrow, Future Emma scoffed at his threat. "I don't think so."

"Let's find out," Future Wyatt retorted as he pulled the trigger.

As the gun fired, Future Emma grabbed Jessica, tugging her in front of her to use as a human shield. The bullet pierced through Jessica's chest near the center of her chest. Future Emma held onto Jessica as she backed away from the group and towards the exit of the building.

Future Wyatt released a guttural scream, "No!"

Future Emma shoved the lifeless body of Jessica away from her as she bolted from the building, letting the woman hit the marble floor with a thud.

Quinn hissed at Lucy and Tenley, "We have to go now!"

As they followed Quinn out of the building, Lucy's eyes remained locked on Future Wyatt. He crumpled to the marble floor on his knees, clutching his dead wife in his arms, rocking back and forth, tears pouring from his eyes as the pained sobs echoed loudly in the lobby. His trembling hands brushed her blonde hair out of Jessica's lifeless face. It was at that moment, Lucy spotted the woman's very pregnant belly. Tears welled behind her eyes as she fought back the bile that slowly rose in her chest as it churned violently in her stomach.

Quinn forced the two out of the building, into the heavy rain that poured down upon them. He led them through the city as quickly as he could, knowing if Future Wyatt regained his composure, it wouldn't matter who his target was.

The three darted into the wharf as Quinn pushed open the heavy steel doors, allowing the two women to slip into the old musty warehouse. He followed, releasing his hold on the doors. They slammed shut, echoing loudly within the massive building. The only thing inside was the dark-colored Mothership.

"What...What happened?" Lucy stammered. She ran her hands down her rain-soaked face as she sobbed. "She was pregnant! Oh my God…"

Tenley's brows knitted together. "What?" Her head snapped up to look at Quinn. "What is she talking about?" She noticed Quinn seemed unfazed by the revelation of Jessica's condition. She approached him, grabbing his arm at the elbow, forcing him to look at her. "What is she talking about, Quinn?"

Quinn sighed, brushing his wet hair out of his face. The water raced down his scarred cheeks. His dark eyes held Tenley's as he admitted, "Jessica was pregnant."

"You knew?" Tenley questioned.

He nodded. "Aye," he told her. "We knew Jessica was pregnant..." he held her gaze as he added, "with Jack…"

Tenley's breath hitched as she gasped. "Jack?" Memories of Jack came rushing forward. She remembered the familiar chiseled features of Jack but it was his piercing blue eyes that reminded her of Wyatt and what convinced her of his story. She felt the searing pain in her lower abdomen as the memory of him shooting her in the dark, stormy forest during the Pulaski disaster came back to her. Then the words he spoke into her ear that night before he pulled the trigger - 'Your mother sends her regards' came rushing back to her. Tenley's mind zeroed in on that memory, realizing through the wind and rain, that wasn't what he said at all. As the memory replayed in her head over and over again, his words became clearer. 'My mother sends her regards'.

Quinn nodded solemnly. "I'd never condone killing a child, let alone a pregnant woman..." he sighed heavily, shoulders slumping forward, "Jessica was never our target..."

"Did you know Emma was going to do this?" Lucy asked in between sobs, her hand against her heart.

He shook his head, meeting her sad gaze. "No," he admitted. "I personally wouldn't have brought her along in her condition...I'm honestly shocked Wyatt did…"

"Tenley?" Lucy called out, noticing the distracted doctor. She wiped the tears from her face as she stared at her.

Quinn turned his attention back to Tenley, placing his hand on her shoulder as he neared. "Tenley?"

Tenley blinked, allowing the tears to cascade down her cheeks. She lifted her dark eyes to meet Quinn's. "Did he... " she swallowed as her voice cracked before she could speak, "Did Jack know who I was, or did he really confuse me with Lucy?"

Quinn's head tilted slightly to the side. "From our reports, he did confuse ye… what are ye thinking?"

"I'm remembering that night on the Pulaski," she admitted. "I think I misheard him back then…"

"What are you talking about?" Lucy asked, nearing her. "What- When he shot you?"

Tenley nodded, locking eyes with Lucy. "This whole time, I was convinced he whispered 'your mother sends her regards'...and he made me believe he was talking about Carol when I asked him about it but..." she shook her head, blinking the tears away again. "I think I know now that he said 'my mother sends her regards'...His mother - Jessica…" When Tenley looked between Quinn and Lucy, she added, "Jessica was after Lucy that mission… not Carol like he made me believe…" she scoffed, shaking her head again. "We've been under the impression this whole time that Carol was looking to kill Lucy when...When it was Wyatt and Jessica this whole time…"

Quinn saw both women slowly crumble with the weight of the truth. He gently squeezed Tenley's shoulder. "We have to go now."

Tenley nodded aimlessly as she turned her gaze back to a heartbroken Lucy. She felt the guilt rising within her as she saw Lucy's expression shatter into hurt and anguish. Tenley watched from a distance as Quinn helped Lucy into his dark time machine. Lucy fought against the sobs that clearly threatened to come.

As Tenley climbed into the time machine, she glanced out to take in the surroundings, to say goodbye to the world. She started to question if she was going to fade out from existence once more - this time never to return.


	57. Good To Be Home

Present Day

The alarms within the Bloodstone bunker cried out, alerting everyone of the incoming traveler. Watching through the control room window, Agent Christopher, Flynn, and Jiya watched the Death Star Mothership land next to the Lifeboat and the White Mothership.

The three exchanged stunned glances. Jiya stumbled with her words. "Uh...there's… that's… what…."

Movement in the hallway caught Flynn's eye as Rowan walked in. Rowan's eyes darted out of the window to the landing pad. With a smile, he said, "Looks like Quinn's back."

Flynn's eyes narrowed as he glanced out the control room window again. The moment his eyes landed on Quinn, he tensed but a sigh of relief escaped his lips once he spotted Lucy and Tenley emerge from within. He left the control room, heading for the landing pad.

Just as Flynn, Christopher, and Jiya exited the control room to where Rowan stood, Quinn, Tenley, and Lucy walked into the hallway at the same time. Flynn could see how ragged the two women were as they stood slightly hunched over in defeat behind Quinn.

Agent Christopher watched them carefully as her eyes lifted to meet Quinn's. "What happened?"

Quinn turned to glance at the women behind him. Lucy's face was tear-stained, her brown eyes were red and puffy from crying. Tenley seemed nearly checked out as she stared at the tiles of the hallway. He turned back to Agent Christopher. "It's a long story."

"If only I had a dollar for every time I heard that one," Denise muttered. "Let's take it from the top."

Quinn nodded. "I'm sure Rowan explained the basics to ye," he began. Tenley's eyes lifted to meet Rowan's gaze after his name was mentioned. She wasn't sure why he was there but she was too distracted by her own thoughts to dwell on it for long. Quinn continued, "I went back to save Lucy and Tenley from harm."

"What kind of harm?" Denise questioned.

Quinn glanced over to Rowan. "Did ye tell them?"

Rowan's eyes darted over to Flynn. "A little."

Quinn nodded slowly, eyes drifting down the length of Flynn before coming back to Agent Christopher. "Rittenhouse was there, trying to steal yer Lifeboat from ye. While Rufus and Jiya managed to escape from 1980 with yer machine, it left these two exposed to attack...we had to stop that from happening."

Denise nodded. "I appreciate all of your help."

Quinn's eyes locked onto movement at the end of the hall. He blew a small sigh of relief as he turned back to Agent Christopher. "And I am indebted to ye for yer help."

"We can discuss this in length later," Denise stated, "but I know there is at least one person who will be happy to see you...and you'll probably want to get cleaned up and eat."

Quinn nodded his thanks to Agent Christopher and glanced at Lucy and Tenley once more. He offered a small sympathetic smile to them before heading over to Rowan. He smacked the back of his brother's shoulder and the two left the hallway together. Rowan glanced over his shoulder to take in Tenley's blank expression once more.

Flynn's gaze never left Tenley, however. He could see it on her face, even though she was trying her best to keep her emotions null and void on her expression. He saw it in her body language that something horrible happened.

Denise approached the two. "Are you two all right?"

"I'm not sure I'll ever be all right again," Lucy muttered, brushing her hair from her face. She sniffled, fighting the tears once more before walking down the hall.

Tenley glanced at Agent Christopher and shrugged, following Lucy silently. Flynn fell in step with her, knowing now wasn't the time to ask her what happened. He also knew the moment they crossed the threshold of the hallway, she'd have questions.

The two exited the hall to head to their rooms when they stopped in their tracks. Eyes wide and mouths parting, they glanced about the main living area. Several people were walking about the inside of the bunker. Children were running around playing together, some were playing video games on the TV, and there were some playing board games at a large table.

They spotted a few people reading in the cozy nook, others stretched out along the floor reading to younger children who seemed completely captivated by whatever story was being told.

The kitchen bustled with people baking and making food for those coming to the window of the serving bar. The smells of the food filled the air, making their mouths water and stomachs growl with anticipation.

"What is all of this?" Lucy asked, motioning to all of the people. "Who are all of these people? Where did they come from?" She glanced over to the others for answers.

"There's more," Denise told them. "Some are using the gym and some are probably in their rooms resting."

"But who are they?" Lucy asked, turning to face her. "What happened after we left?"

"I'll explain it all after you get some rest," Agent Christopher said. "You look like you need it."

Tenley's brows drew together as she glanced up at Flynn. He nodded, silently telling her that he would tell her everything once they were alone. She blinked her confusion away as she headed for her room.

Tenley and Lucy walked across the large main room, eyes darting about the newcomers, who didn't pay them any attention as they walked by.

Lucy broke away from Tenley and Flynn as she entered her room where she expected Wyatt to be waiting. She hesitated at the doorknob but eventually closed the door behind her once she crossed the threshold.

Tenley didn't envy Lucy at that moment. She knew Lucy had a difficult conversation ahead of her. She had no idea what Lucy would say to Wyatt but she feared his reaction more than Lucy's tale.

With a shaky breath, Tenley continued toward her room. She could hear Flynn walking behind her, feeling his presence as they walked down the hall in silence. She reached her door, opening it wide, allowing Flynn to follow her inside. She closed the door behind him, locking it secured.

She turned to face him. She could see the questions on his expression as he stared at her. She licked her lips and closed the gap between them, wrapping her arms around his waist, pulling him into a tight embrace. She rested her head against his shoulder, fighting the tears.

Flynn wrapped his arms around her, holding her against him, cradling the back of her head. He rested his head on the top of hers. "Nine?" he whispered. "What happened?"

She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of his heart beating behind his chest. She focused on the steady and reliable sound, memorizing the beats, and fearing it might be the last time she would hear it. The tears started building behind her closed eyes. She held her breath, trying to maintain her composure.

"Nine?" he whispered again. His fingers gently massaged her scalp. "What's wrong?"

She sniffled. Her voice cracked as she tried to say, "I'm just tired…"

He pulled away from her, holding her shoulders as he gazed deeply into her eyes. "Nine? Talk to me...what happened?"

Her lips quivered as she twisted them in thought. Her brows furrowed as she tried to think of what to say. Her words were choking her as the lump formed in her throat. "I'm scared…"

"Of what?" he asked, worry washing over him. His heart was racing now.

"I want you to know," her voice cracked, a hitched breath escaping from her lips, "I love you…"

He was now terrified by her behavior. He kept his hold on her shoulders, bending his knees to be more on her level. "What's going on, Tenley?"

The tears fell from her eyes in quick succession as the sob burst from behind her lips. "I...I need you to stay with me," she cried, "while I'm…" another hard sob escaped her lips and she ran a hand down her face, "while I'm still here…"

His lips parted as his heart stopped in his chest. He wrapped her in his embrace again, cradling her against him as she sobbed into his chest, tears soaking his maroon turtleneck. Her hands reached up behind him, grasping his shoulders tightly, her fingers clutching onto him like her life depended on it.

"I'm not going anywhere," he cooed. "I'm staying right here…"

With every sentence he spoke to reassure her, her sobs grew harder. It frightened him.

That evening when most of the people had gone off to bed, Agent Christopher gathered the others to discuss what happened in 1980. They were still waiting on Tenley and Flynn. Wyatt paced behind Lucy, who sat at the table.

"What's taking them so long?" Wyatt complained, arms crossing over his chest.

Quinn eyed Wyatt. "Perhaps we should continue without them, yeah?"

Agent Christopher nodded. "I think that's wise. We can fill them in later."

Lucy licked her lips, her body language turning rigid as she cleared her throat, brushing her hair from her face. "Who are all of these new people? Where did they come from?"

Agent Christopher's eyes darted over to Rowan. She answered, carefully choosing her words, "Shortly after Rufus and Jiya returned from 1980, Rowan came to us. He needed our help."

"With what?" Lucy asked, glancing over to Rowan. "Help with what? I don't understand-"

Rowan and Quinn exchanged glances. "These people were at risk of being slaughtered," Rowan stated, turning his gaze back to Lucy. "We couldn't let that happen."

"Slaughtered?" she repeated, voice stunned. "By who?" Lucy watched as Quinn and Rowan glanced at Wyatt. She nodded slowly, fully aware of their silent answer. "I see…"

"See what?" Wyatt asked, his voice strained. "They haven't said anything since they showed up here!"

Quinn and Rowan shifted in place, looking back to Lucy. She inhaled deeply as she admitted, "That might be because of what happened in 1980."

"Why don't you start from the beginning," Agent Christopher encouraged. "We'd appreciate all of the information you could give us."

Lucy bit her lip, glancing over to Quinn. Quinn nodded reassuringly to her, encouraging her to tell them. "Well… when we arrived, we wandered the streets hoping to find some kind of understanding as to why we were there."

"Did you find any?" Denise asked.

Lucy shook her head. "Not at first," she explained. "We spotted Future Wyatt across the street."

"Guess it's a good thing I was benched after all," Wyatt muttered, sitting down at the table.

Lucy's eyes darted to Rufus and Jiya, knowing what was coming next. "We saw you talking to Emma…"

"Emma?" Wyatt repeated. "By talking you mean taking her down, right?"

Lucy shook her head. "You were talking to her," she repeated. "And when you guys separated, we realized something wasn't right." She sighed, brushing her hair out of her face again. "We separated...Rufus and Jiya went back to the Lifeboat and Tenley and I followed Wyatt."

Wyatt scoffed. "I think that was a stupid decision-"

"Wyatt," Denise warned, shooting him a look to be quiet.

"They shouldn't have separated!" he hissed. "They could have gotten themselves killed!" He saw the frustrations from the others and sighed. "Sorry...you were saying?"

Lucy cleared her throat, bringing the attention back to her. "We followed Wyatt to the Met...he lured us there…"

"Lured?" he repeated. "Why did you saying it like that?"

"Because," she started, hesitating to continue. "You wanted to kill us - or at least, kill me…" her voice drifted off quietly.

Wyatt looked taken aback. "You can't be serious! I'd never do that… you know that, right?" His eyes pleaded with her, hoping she knew he'd never do such a thing.

Quinn took a step forward. "It's true-"

"I'm not talking to you," Wyatt stated, his hand held out to silence Quinn. He refused to look at Quinn.

Lucy glanced between them, worried Wyatt would snap. She licked her lips, carefully continuing her story, "You came after us-"

"Us?" Wyatt repeated.

She nodded. "Tenley and me…" she swallowed, pushing on, "Quinn saved us...and when we tried to leave, Future Wyatt and Emma cornered us. You said you wanted our time machine...that you had joined Rittenhouse… and …" she choked on her words, fighting the sobs.

"Why would I join Rittenhouse?" Wyatt questioned. "I have no reason to-"

Lucy interrupted him, her voice cracking as she tried to regain composure, "You blamed me for betraying you...you...you hated me…" The room fell deathly quiet and still as they watched her cry into her hands. She wiped the tears from her face as she lifted her head again, adding, "You were reunited with Jessica-"

"Jessica?" Rufus repeated, stunned. "Did - did you say Jessica? Like 'back from the dead' Jessica? That Jessica?"

Wyatt's mouth fell open as he stared at her in disbelief. Lucy added, "She was pregnant…" she cried, sniffling, "Emma … she… "

"What happened to Jessica?" Wyatt asked, cutting her off. His voice was strained. His body language went rigid as he waited for her answer. His eyes were wide, beginning to fill with tears and worry.

Lucy took a deep shaky breath in. "She's dead…"

"What?" he barely managed to say. His brows drew together, anger rising on his expression as his eyes darkened and the tears vanished. His body looked ready to collapse from grief.

She nodded. "Emma threatened you. You countered and you pulled the trigger but...she… she used Jessica to block your attack-"

Wyatt stood up from the table, slamming his fists into the tabletop, angry and frustrated that his wife died again. He walked a few feet from the table and ran a hand through his hair. "She...she did what?"

Lucy's tears flowed down her cheeks. She couldn't contain them. "Jessica died-"

"And the baby?" he asked, his voice showing his desperation. "Did you guys try to save them?"

Lucy's face contorted as the words hit her. "What?"

Wyatt saw the confusion on everyone's faces as he turned his glare back to Lucy. "Did you guys try to save Jessica and the baby or did you just leave her to die?"

Quinn stepped forward. "That's an unfair request," he told him, "considering ye had just threatened their lives-"

Wyatt's heated gaze landed on Quinn. "I told you, I'm not talking to you."

Quinn pointed toward Lucy. "Ye should speak to her with more respect-"

Wyatt took a step forward, his hands balled into fists. Agent Christopher shouted, "Stand down, Wyatt!"

Wyatt halted in mid-step. He never took his heated eyes off of Quinn, giving me a warning glare.

Agent Christopher glanced about the group. She could feel the rising tensions amongst them. "You need to calm down," she told him. "I know it is hard news to hear, but this is what happened - as we've already established several times already, the future isn't written in stone." She turned her gaze over to Mason who had been captivated the whole time by the story. "Isn't that what you said?"

Mason nodded, eyes wide. "That's true," he agreed, "nothing is set in stone. Our actions today can change the outcome of tomorrow-"

"So, you're saying Wyatt won't join Rittenhouse?" Rufus asked.

Mason shrugged. "That's for Wyatt to determine," he said. "This is the unfortunate side effect of time travel - too many variables and outcomes for decisions made in the now that makes our future unpredictable."

Wyatt ran his hand through his hair. "So…" he sighed, "if all of this is true, why is Tenley hiding-"

"Because she's terrified of what might be coming," Flynn's voice replied from behind them. They turned to look at him as he neared the table.

"What does that even mean?" Wyatt questioned.

Flynn crossed his arms over his chest, eyes narrowing on Wyatt. "She was afraid to tell me. It took a lot of convincing her to open up," he explained. "But she's afraid she's going to disappear again...this time for good."

Wyatt's brows drew together. "For good?"

Rowan spoke up. "She barely came back the first time," he pointed out. "But ye managed to rekindle yer relationship with Lucy…" he motioned over to Mason, "as Mr. Mason stated just a moment ago, yer choices repaired the damage that caused her to disappear, to begin with."

Wyatt pinched the bridge to his nose. "My head is spinning."

Denise nodded. "For now," she began. "Let's take a moment to rest. We can figure out what to do next tomorrow." She turned her gaze over to Flynn. "Is she okay?"

He shrugged. "How would you feel if you thought you'd disappear at a moment's notice?"

She nodded slowly. She offered a sympathetic smile. "Get some rest."

Lucy stood up and approached Flynn. With a shaky voice, she asked, "How is she really?"

He eyed Wyatt for a moment before looking down at her. "She's holding it together as best as she can," he told her. He gave her a sad glance before walking away from the group.

Flynn returned to Tenley's room, quietly opening the door. His eyes drifted over to the bed, seeing her still asleep - the gentle rise and fall of her chest confirmed that. He closed the door just as quietly as he had opened it.

He turned back to her, padding across the room to kneel beside her. He studied her for a moment, noticing that for the first time since she came back from 1980, she was calm and at peace. He knew when she woke, it would be a different story.

He went to stand up when he noticed the leather journal sticking out from under the mattress - the one she tried to show him before they traveled to 1877. His eyes flitted up to watch her sleeping as he pulled the journal from its hiding place, careful not to disturb her.

When she didn't react, he stood up, glancing down at the worn black leather journal. His brows drew together at the silver monogram on the cover. CRQRT. He flipped the front cover open to see Tenley's handwriting. He read the message scribbled on the front page, detailing the need for her to read it.

He thumbed to the next page. It was in Tenley's handwriting. His brow furrowed as he realized it was a detailed account of everything Tenley had forgotten. His eyes drifted back to the sleeping doctor. It clicked in his mind that she read the journal and it jump-started her memory. He questioned if he should continue reading the journal or not.

Despite his curiosity, Flynn closed the journal but couldn't stop looking at the embossed silver monogram. He wondered what it stood for. He shook his head, setting the journal on the nightstand beside her. He padded around the bed and crawled in, cuddling up next to her. As he wrapped his arm around her, he felt her hand grab him, holding onto him tightly.


	58. Fragments Of Memories

The next morning, Wyatt slipped out of the room he shared with Lucy while she slept. He walked with purpose as he headed for the kitchen. There were dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. He spent most of the night tossing and turning as his mind raced with questions and self-doubt, preventing him from sleeping.

He figured out what had been plaguing his mind pretty quickly. It was a combination of sleep deprivation, the fact he lacked faith and trust in any of their future selves, his distrust of Rowan and Quinn, and now, he was being told he would join the enemy and try to kill the woman he loved, and essentially their future child. That was a lot to shoulder alone.

Wyatt knew he reacted harshly when they informed him about Jessica. He carried the weight of the blame for her death before and frankly, he never got over that. It was an open wound that continued to get licked, despite his best efforts to let it be and heal with time. Even after hearing about how Rittenhouse trained her to be a sleeper, made him feel used and abused by them - by Jessica. To think he had been sleeping with the enemy before they faked her death - and how hard he fought to find her to bring her back - made him look silly.

It pained him to think that whatever occurred in that version of himself's past that drove him to feel betrayed by those he considered friends and family, told him he needed to make the concerted effort to prevent that future from coming to fruition in whatever means necessary. He wasn't sure how to do that but he had a pretty good idea where to start - and it would require french toast.

Wyatt turned into the kitchen and froze in the doorway. Inside, a couple of women were already hard at work preparing breakfast for the rest of the full bunker. Their eyes lifted to see him as he entered, stunned to see he was awake this early.

"Oh, uh….Hi?" he muttered, blinking at them in surprise.

They exchanged glances before turning back to Wyatt. "Can we help you?"

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I was going to make some french toast for...it doesn't…" He was about to bail out on the idea, inching his way out of the room.

"I can make them for you," the one girl chimed in. "Do you want whipped cream and strawberries too?"

Wyatt's lips curled into a smile, knowing Lucy would love it. "That would be perfect."

"I'll bring them out to you," she said with a nod. "If you want to wait out there," she pointed to the coffee canisters on the bar window, "coffee is fresh."

"Thank you," he said, turning to grab a cup. He was feeling grateful for the help in making the food. He usually burnt them. Cooking wasn't his forte; thank God for MREs. He turned to the coffee canisters, filling two cups of coffee and bringing them over to a small table. He sat down to wait, drinking the fresh hot coffee - which apart from Flynn's coffee, this was amazing to drink.

As Wyatt sat at the table with his coffee, his blue eyes lifted to see Rowan and Quinn entering with an elderly woman who seemed to be struggling to walk. Wyatt watched as they made their way over to the table. He chuckled softly to himself. He never would have pegged either one of them to be the sort to help an old lady.

He watched as Quinn left them to head to the kitchen, stopping at the bar for coffee and speaking to those inside. Wyatt's eyes darted back to Rowan and the old woman. Rowan helped her across the room, pulling out a seat at another table to allow her to sit. Rowan leaned over to speak softly to her, patting her hand gently just as Quinn returned with the coffee.

Quinn set the mug onto the table before the woman. He lifted his gaze to Rowan, speaking once more before leaving the room, back in the direction they came from rather briskly. Rowan sat down briefly, making sure the woman was going to be okay. Wyatt watched as the woman seemed to be reassuring Rowan before he stood from the table to follow his brother.

Wyatt's brows drew together as he watched the odd exchange. He contemplated standing up and approaching the woman when a tray of food suddenly appeared on the table before him, causing his gaze to avert.

The food looked delicious. The french toast had a beautiful golden crust on it, the whipped cream looked fresh as it slowly melted from the fluffy pillow on top, dripping to create a pool around the french toast. A small drizzle of maple syrup created crystals of sugar to reflect the lights overhead. The fresh-cut strawberries were pops of pink and red across the plate.

He lifted his gaze to the woman who made it. "Thank you," he sighed. "This is perfection!"

The girl smiled proudly at him before retreating back into the kitchen. Wyatt stood from the chair, setting the coffee mugs onto the full tray. He carried it across the room toward the hallway that would lead him back to Lucy. As he passed the old woman, he glanced at her. She didn't look familiar to him and he wanted to know why Rowan and Quinn were so interested in her.

Wyatt shook the nagging questions and curiosities away as he navigated down the hall to his room, knowing that at the current moment, there was a more important matter on hand to deal with. When he reached his room, he readjusted the tray in his arms so he could open the door. Pushing the door open, he stood face to face with Lucy, who was fully awake and changed for the day. They blinked at one another with mutual shock.

Seeing his full arms, Lucy grabbed the door, allowing Wyatt to come inside. Once he crossed the threshold, she closed the door behind him. "What's all this?" she asked, turning to face him, eyes dropping to the food tray.

He set the tray down on the table next to the wall. "I wanted to surprise you with breakfast in bed but it looks like I'm too late for that."

Lucy saw the look of disappointment on his face. She could smell the delicious sweet food filling the room. "Just because I'm awake doesn't mean we can't still have breakfast in our room…" she neared him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Thank you for this."

The two sat down at the small table. Lucy looked at the food and smiled. "French toast?"

"It's your favorite, isn't it?" he asked, his voice showing his panic that he might have gotten it wrong.

She smiled wide at him. "I love this…"

He visibly relaxed, smiling back at her. "I hope it's delicious."

"Do you want some?"

His eyes darted to the plate before lifting to meet her gaze. He shook his head. "This is for you."

"Doesn't mean we can't share."

"It does look good," he admitted with a laugh. She passed him the fork loaded up with the food. He took a bite and moaned. "Oh man...that's amazing."

Lucy took the fork from him, a smile spreading against her lips as she loaded up the fork for her bite. The sweet foods danced across her tongue, followed by the bright bursts of the strawberries. Her eyes rolled closed, humming in pleasure. She swallowed, opening her eyes to look at him. "This is divine, Wyatt...thank you."

The two continued to work together to devour the plate of food. Once it was gone, they sat there with their coffee. Lucy licked her lips, still tasting the sweet treat on them. "So, what was this all about?"

He inhaled deeply. "I wanted to apologize."

She blinked at him. "Apologize?"

He nodded. "I've been an ass lately and I know there's no amount of apologizing I can do to correct it-"

"Never underestimate the power of an apology," she told him, bringing the mug back to her lips.

He shook his head. "No...not this time." He held her gaze as he continued, "I don't like who I'm becoming...who I'm going to become-" Lucy opened her mouth to retort when he held his hand up slightly. "Let me finish," he requested, his voice calm and gentle. She nodded, setting the mug down to listen to him with all of her attention. He cleared his throat as he continued, "There's no excuse. None. Yes, a lot has happened since all of this began but...I could have handled myself better. I should learn to control my temper and realize that not everything is a personal attack against me."

He sighed heavily, shaking his head. He lifted his gaze to hers again. "I know it was my fault Tenley disappeared, to begin with. I know I was stupid and selfish when I was focused on my needs and my past that I ignored yours. And saying 'I'm sorry' doesn't seem like enough...and even now, after having been told that a future version of me tried to kill you…" he blew a sharp shaky breath out, tears forming behind his blue eyes, "I don't want that future to happen. I don't want any harm to come to you...I love you, Lucy. I think I always have...and I've been risking losing you and everything I want for us…" He held her gaze before asking, "I've been so focused on what I want...but I've lost sight of what you want." He paused, staring deep into her eyes. "What do you want, Lucy?"

Lucy felt the tears welling behind her eyes as she stared at Wyatt in stunned appreciation. She could see the hurt behind his expression - that blame he shouldered for what his future self had done - not to mention the past version of himself. She could see it all and realized how much pressure he had been under lately.

"I want you, Wyatt," she whispered, reaching across to grasp his hand, squeezing it tightly. "I've always loved you and still do...I know we can change the future together as long as we work together as a team."

Wyatt's tears finally cascaded down his cheeks, feeling the waves of relief washing over him. He closed his hand over hers, gently squeezing it. "I'm so sorry-"

"I know," she told him, "but you need to let the pain go...let the past and the future go...nothing else matters."

"I don't deserve you," he muttered, choking back his sobs.

"You do," she whispered. "And if you think you don't, then work for it."

He lifted his gaze to meet hers. She smiled warmly at him, coaxing a smile from him. "I love you…"

"I love you, too."

Down the hall, Flynn felt Tenley shifting under his arm. His eyes opened and focused on her. She rolled onto her back, gazing up at him. She smiled softly at him, her voice barely a whisper, "You stayed…"

He smiled back. "Of course," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "No place I'd rather be."

"I'm happy I'm still here," she confessed.

He saw the sadness creeping up on her expression. He didn't want her to focus on that so he leaned over and pressed a kiss on her lips. "I'm happy you're here, too," he told her. "And if you disappeared, I'd find a way to bring you back again."

She blinked some tears away. She inhaled deeply, stretching. "I need to shower," she groaned.

He propped himself up onto his elbows and watched as she stood up from the bed. "Would you like me to bring you back some breakfast?"

She poked her head out of the bathroom. "Please!"

He nodded, throwing his long legs over the side of the bed. He padded across the room, stopping before her in the doorway of the bathroom. He kissed her on the lips again. "I'll be back shortly."

She smiled against his lips. "If you aren't, I'll have to hunt you down."

He laughed, pulling back. "You'd hunt me down?"

She nodded, her smile widening. "You'd have my coffee," she told him, her tone clearly amused, "so yes, I'd hunt you down."

"Duly noted," he replied with a chuckle. "I'll be back or I'll see you again in a little bit." She nodded as she ducked back into the bathroom. He turned and exited her room.

Flynn walked down the hallway towards the kitchen. He could already smell the bacon and pancakes cooking as he continued across the main room toward the kitchen.

Sitting on the bar window, he spotted a couple of prepared pots of coffee with clean mugs for the taking. He grabbed a couple of empty mugs, filling them with the fresh hot brew.

Turning around, Flynn's eyes landed on the frame of an elderly woman, probably in her late seventies, sitting alone at the large table. He watched her for a moment as she lifted her coffee mug to her lips with unsteady hands, only to set it back down, a sad expression washing over her face.

He glanced down at the mugs in his hands and decided to approach her. He stood a couple of feet away from her as he asked, "Would you like some fresh coffee?"

She glanced over her shoulder to look at him. Her face was worn and wrinkled, her hair mostly white with streaks of a faded dark auburn underneath. Her blue eyes widened at him. "Oh," she sighed. "Thank ye, dear...I'd love some more…"

Flynn's brows twitched at her accent as he set the mug down on the table before her, turning the handle for her to grab. She motioned to the chair beside her for him to join her. He sat, smiling politely at her.

"Thank ye," she said, wrapping her frail hands around the cup, almost for warmth. "I had been dreading the walk over for more."

"I'm happy to help," he told her with a smile. "Is there anything else I could get for you?"

She turned her eyes over to him, smiling warmly. "No, thank ye, dear," she said, patting his hand with hers. "I should be thanking ye for allowing us to come here earlier than expected."

"You knew you would be coming here?" Flynn asked.

She squeezed his hands, a sad smile on her face. "Ye and I both know I would not have lived long enough to be here if they had waited."

Flynn watched her closely as she drank from her coffee mug. Something about her was familiar. He struggled to piece together why. He smiled at her as her eyes darted over to meet his gaze. She offered a small smile in return as she lowered the mug with her shaky hands.

The smile faded from his lips as he saw familiarity staring back at him. He licked his lips as he tried to calm his nerves. He braved his question. "Where have you been this whole time, Charlotte?"

Charlotte blinked at him. A soft small chuckle escaped her lips as she played with the mug handle. "I was wondering how long it would take ye to figure it out." She lifted her eyes to stare into his. "I had a feeling it would be ye to do it, too."

"Have they hurt you?" he asked, his voice dropping low as he leaned forward.

She tilted her head at him. "Who, dear?"

"Rowan and Quinn," he answered. He lifted his eyes, scanning the area in hopes that neither one of them was nearby.

She laughed heartily. She patted his hands as if he had just said the funniest joke. "They are not yer enemy, dear." She chuckled again, wiping the small tears of amusement from her wrinkled face. "But yer sweet to worry about little ol' me."

His expression remained serious as he asked again, "What happened to you?"

She smiled warmly at him, patting his hands once more. "We were saved," she told him, pulling her hands from his. "That is all that is important." He opened his mouth to retort when she added, "I believe there is a young lady waiting for ye."

His brow furrowed as he glanced over his shoulder to see Tenley watching them with curiosity on her expression as she got her coffee. He turned back to Charlotte. "I hope to see you again."

"I am sure that we shall," she told him. She motioned to her mug. "Thank ye again for the coffee."

He smiled at her before crossing the room toward Tenley. Tenley's eyes remained on the elderly woman at the table. "Everything okay?"

He nodded, glancing back over his shoulder. "I think so."

"Who is she?"

"Someone we met in 1588." The two exchanged glances. He shrugged. "I think these people are the same ones from Roanoke."

"The colonists who disappeared?" she asked.

He nodded, glancing back to Charlotte. "I think they've been moved from Roanoke to some other place," he admitted, "and wherever they've been this whole time was compromised... " He turned back to Tenley. "Quinn and Rowan brought them here to save them from something."

"But from what?" she asked, "or who?"

"That's what I haven't figured out yet," Flynn said. "But I have every intention of figuring that out."


	59. The March Of The Awakened

That afternoon, the bunker alarms chimed overhead. "Active time travel initiated." Many of the residents of the bunker lifted their eyes toward the ceiling, listening to the alarm but a lot of them ignored it, continuing with their daily tasks.

The time team, including Quinn and Rowan, met Agent Christopher and Jiya at the control center. Wyatt watched the two brothers out of the corner of his eye, unsure of their presence.

"What have you got?" Denise asked, bracing against the back of Jiya's chair.

Jiya's eyes scanned the images as they popped up on the screen. As the information scrolled by, she stated, "April 5, 1946...Nuremberg."

"Nuremberg?" Wyatt repeated. "Germany?"

"It's right after the war too," Lucy said with a nod.

Quinn's eyes drifted across them, watching them think of a reason. He cleared his throat. "I think I have the answer." When the others turned to him, he added, "Abba Kovner."

"Who?" Rufus asked.

Lucy inhaled sharply. "Right...April…" she paused to think, eyes widening as it came to her. "It's about the time he leads his fighting force to carry out Plan B-"

"Can you slow down and fill the rest of us in, please?" Agent Christopher asked. "Who is Abba Kovner? And what is Plan B?"

Lucy licked her lips. "Abba Kovner was a Jewish poet who assembled a resistance fighting force. Then after the war, they sought out revenge against the Germans for how many died during the Holocaust."

"Assembled?" Rufus repeated. "Like the Avengers?"

Lucy didn't even hesitate to confirm. "They are recognized today as The Jewish Avengers."

Rufus muttered under his breath, his voice showing his enthusiasm, "So awesome!"

Denise turned to them. "Be careful out there-"

"I think it'd be wise to send one of us along," Quinn interjected, motioning between Rowan and himself. "Ye might need the extra manpower."

Wyatt gritted his teeth, a scowl rising on his expression. "We've got it handled."

Denise thought about the offer for a moment. "It might not be a bad idea-"

"You can't be serious," he scoffed, whipping his head over to glare at her.

"You're heading into post-war territories," Denise explained. "I think you might want to consider the benefits of having another trained marksman-"

"And leave who behind?" Wyatt questioned. "Do we leave Lucy? Rufus?" He motioned to the two as he said their names.

Quinn cleared his throat. "Ye could leave either one if ye so choose," he stated. "I'm a bit of a history buff myself and I know how to pilot the machines."

Wyatt turned to the others. "I'm just going to say it but I don't trust him," he glanced over at the brothers, "no offense."

"Ye've been consistent enough," Quinn told him with a small shrug. It was clear to everyone that he wasn't surprised to hear Wyatt's remark. He turned his dark eyes over to Rufus. "Would ye like to sit this one out?"

Rufus's eyes bugged out. He had been praying to hear those words since this whole thing began. He never thought in his wildest dreams that it would become an option. His mouth fell open, words catching in his throat.

Wyatt held his hand out. "Hold on a minute," he turned to Agent Christopher, "you really can't be serious about this?"

Denise shot him a quick look, lifting her shoulder slightly. She cocked her head as she said, "Whether we want to admit it or not, we've formed an alliance-"

Wyatt shook his head, throwing his hands up in frustration. He turned to Flynn. "Back me up here, man."

Flynn's eyes darted between Quinn, Rowan, Wyatt, and Denise. "I don't like it either-"

"See?" Wyatt interjected, motioning with his hands as if his point were made.

"But," Flynn continued, "I also see the benefits of having them along."

Jiya cleared her throat, bringing everyone's attention back to her. "Uh, they're still in 1946...in case you're wondering."

Quinn nodded, stepping forward. "So, I suppose Lucy should sit this one out then?"

Denise glanced over at Lucy. "All right," she said as Lucy blinked at the suggestion. "Rufus, Wyatt, Flynn... and Quinn."

Wyatt pressed his lips into a thin line, shaking his head as his jaw jutted out in disapproval. Turning his gaze over to Flynn, he silently lectured him on the importance of being careful with Quinn. To his genuine surprise, Flynn nodded once, letting him know he was on the same page.

The four men entered the landing pad where the time machines sat. Quinn asked, "Shall we take mine?"

"Can we do that?" Rufus asked, glancing at the others before looking over his shoulder to Agent Christopher.

Quinn smirked. "I'll even let ye drive her."

Rufus's lips curved into a wide grin - one that would put the Joker's to shame as he almost gleefully climbed into the Death Star Mothership. The others climbed in behind him, shaking their heads at Rufus's excitement.

Those remaining behind watched from behind the safety glass of the control room as the door to the dark mothership closed and it popped out of view.

Lucy glanced over at Jiya and Mason. "So...it's been a while... but what do you do while they're gone?"

1946

The moment the dark mothership landed, Rufus swiveled around in his chair, looking over at Wyatt and Flynn. "That was a smooth ride!" he said, beaming, "I almost forgot what it felt like."

Wyatt sighed. He couldn't disagree with Rufus, despite wanting to. For the first time in a long while, he didn't feel sick to his stomach from the jump. The machine didn't jostle him around like the Lifeboat usually did.

Quinn stood up, smiling at Rufus. "Don't ye worry," he told the pilot, "I'm sure ye'll get plenty of opportunities to fly her again."

"You mean," Rufus started, eyes widening more, "You'll let me fly this one again?"

"That's what the man said," Wyatt muttered as he stood up.

The four exited the time machine, finding themselves on the outskirts of some rubble on the edge of town. It was clear to them that the rubble was what was leftover from the war - the destroyed buildings and walls the locals were able to clear out of town and dumped here.

It didn't take the team long to secure clothing for the current time. There were plenty of donated clothes to be found at shelters and church boxes for the needy. They changed quickly before marching down the lane.

Quinn stated, "There's an internment camp near here that houses SS officers and soldiers." His squinted dark eyes darted about the street as he searched for the obvious direction.

"What does the camp have to do with why we're here?" Wyatt asked. "I thought Lucy said they were some kind of avengers?"

Quinn nodded. "After the war, they decided to level the playing field, if ye will," he said with a subtle bob of his head, "so they concocted a plan to poison the water supplies here in Nuremberg."

"What happened?" Wyatt asked as he fell in step with Quinn.

"A series of unfortunate events happened," he explained. "Abba Kovner took it upon himself to secure the poison and bring it back here but he was arrested before the ship docked. He threw the poison overboard in a state of panic, then spent several months in prison."

"And now?" Wyatt pushed, "What? They're trying to do it again?"

Quinn nodded. "Except this time, they're targeting the food supplies for the prisoners."

"How does someone poison food without anyone even noticing?" Rufus questioned, his voice dropping low. He glanced about the street, careful not to draw attention to themselves.

Quinn turned his gaze briefly to the pilot. "They got men on the inside who've been hiding the arsenic under the floorboards. At the proper time, they will attempt to coat the loaves of bread with it before they are passed out."

"Why would Rittenhouse or," Wyatt motioned to Quinn, "Bloodstone...want here? Did they succeed or something?"

Quinn shook his head, stopping off to the side of the lane. He turned to face them. "They sickened quite a few but as far as killing anyone, there were no reported deaths."

Flynn's lips were pressed hard together in thought. Finally, he spoke up. "Maybe that's why Rittenhouse is here. Maybe they want this plan to work."

"What purpose would it serve them to have millions of Germans die?" Wyatt asked, brows knitted together in confusion. "It makes no sense-"

Quinn motioned with his chin across the street. "Perhaps, we should just ask the mastermind behind it, eh?"

The team glanced across the street to see a lanky man with a long face emerge from a shop. He ran a hand through his thick black hair before he readjusted a wicker basket on his forearm. He glanced up and down the lane before crossing the side street, seemingly in a hurry.

"Who's that?" Rufus asked, eyes following the man.

"Abba Kovner," Quinn told him. "If ye got questions, he's the man with the answers."

Wyatt nodded once. "Then let's go have a chat."

The four trailed the unsuspecting Abba Kovner through the city square toward the slums. They stopped on the corner to watch the man enter an old run-down apartment building. The windows were semi-boarded up, bars along the lower windows and door. The door to the brownstone building scraped against the concrete floor as Abba opened and closed the door.

"Do we follow him?" Rufus asked, glancing over to the others for directions.

Flynn licked his lips, eyes squinting in concentration as he scanned the area. He noticed these buildings were near the prison and the bakery. "You mentioned they were planning on poisoning the food supplies for the prisoners?"

Quinn nodded, eyes darted over to where Flynn was staring. "Aye," he said. "Perhaps we should take a look there."

"You're assuming Rittenhouse is going to let them continue with this plan," Wyatt pointed out, "especially now that we're here."

As they continued discussing their plan of action, they spotted more men entering the old building. Wyatt pressed his lips firmly together before saying, "Looks like they're having a meeting of some kind." He started to cross the street. "Let's go."

"Wyatt!" Flynn called out to him, grabbing Rufus by the shoulder to stop him from following blindly, "Wait!"

Wyatt glanced over his shoulder in time to see a large warehouse truck barreling down the cobblestone lane toward him. It wasn't slowing down. He felt a pair of strong hands grab him by the shoulders of his coat, tugging him back onto the curb just as the truck roared past.

Flynn's eyes locked onto the truck as it barreled by them. The two men inside the cabin didn't stop to make sure they were all right but that wasn't what bothered him. One of the men inside the cabin seemed familiar but his mind was drawing a blank as to why.

Wyatt's head snapped up to see Quinn releasing his hold on him. Quinn studied him for a moment before asking, "Are ye all right?"

Nodding, Wyatt replied, "Yeah… yeah, thanks…" he glanced between the other stunned and concerned faces surrounding him, "I didn't hear him coming."

Rufus raised an eyebrow at Flynn. "Hey, man," he started, breaking Flynn's concentration, "you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Flynn's brows were knitted together. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" Rufus questioned, clearly not believing him. Flynn remained silent as he nodded. His eyes drifted down the lane, watching as the truck disappeared around the far corner of the square.


	60. Scavenger Hunt

Present Day

Tenley sat at her desk in the infirmary. With her elbow propped up on the top, her hand holding her head, she read through the odd journal she found in her room. It would be her second read-through of the leather-bound book but she hoped it would give her more clarity on what to expect regarding her future. She wasn't convinced by Lucy's claim over Wyatt's apology that it would keep her from disappearing a second time. He apologized before and yet, she still disappeared.

She sighed heavily, closing her strained eyes. There hadn't been much mentioned in the way of Wyatt within the journal - just enough of what she had forgotten since she lost her memory. A knock on the infirmary door startled her, causing her eyes to flutter open as the door began to swing ajar.

Tenley spotted a familiar head of blond hair poke into the room, stormy blue eyes scanning the room before landing upon her. He smiled at her. "Am I interrupting?" Rowan asked. Tenley shook her head and he pushed the door open further, helping a little old lady into the room.

Standing from her desk to approach, Tenley crossed the room to help, grabbing the woman's elbow for support. "What's happened?"

Rowan helped the elderly lady to the exam table. "She's been complaining of lethargy."

Tenley grabbed a couple of examination tools to begin looking over the frail woman. "What's your name?"

"Charlotte," the woman replied.

Tenley's head cocked slightly the moment she heard the accent. Her dark eyes darted over to Rowan's gaze before returning to the woman's eyes. "Follow the light, please."

As Charlotte's eyes followed the light, Tenley saw the familiarity behind them. She turned the light off and glanced back to Rowan. They had the exact same shade of stormy blue eyes. It dawned on her why the accent was the same as well.

Tenley opened her mouth to speak when Charlotte cleared her throat. "Would ye be a dear," she started, eyes locking onto Rowan's, "and bring me some tea?"

Rowan glanced between the two. "Is that all right?" Tenley nodded and Rowan patted the woman's hand gently. "I'll return shortly."

The two watched as Rowan slipped out of the infirmary, leaving them alone. Charlotte wasted no time as she lifted her head to look the doctor square in the eyes. "I thought he'd never leave," she sighed.

Tenley licked her lips, wondering what to ask first. "Is he… a-are you…"

"I would have thought it to be obvious," Charlotte's lips curved into a small smile as she spoke, "I'm their ma."

"Mother?" Tenley gasped, eyes widening.

Charlotte nodded. "Ye seem surprised, dear."

"I…" Tenley's words failed her.

Charlotte smiled again. "I saw ye've been reading yer journal," she stated, pointing over to the leather-bound book on the desk. "Have ye found it helpful?"

Blinking away the shock, Tenley nodded aimlessly. "Um… yeah… sort of…"

"Which part has ye confused?"

Tenley's brows drew together. "Who are you?"

A small chortle escaped the woman's lips. "I think ye've started to figure it out…" she sniffled slightly, "At least a couple of yer team has figured it out…"

"Do Quinn and Rowan know?" Tenley asked.

The woman nodded slowly. "Quinn, especially," she confirmed. "Rowan...he's… he's special," her voice drifted away after the admittance. It was clear to the doctor, the woman wasn't going to elaborate.

"In what way?" Tenley's heart fluttered at the prospects. There was something lingering behind the words Charlotte used that didn't sit well with her.

Charlotte's smile faltered as she averted her gaze. "It's better that ye don't know the details."

"Why?"

"It's not safe."

"For who?"

Charlotte's pained expression lifted to meet Tenley's gaze. "For Rowan," she whispered, "and for ye."

Tenley was about to retort when the door to the infirmary opened. Glancing over her shoulder, she spotted Rowan approaching them, two blue mugs of steaming fluid in his hands. He set one of the mugs on the desk.

"I thought ye'd like some coffee," he told the doctor. He smiled at her, turning back to Charlotte. "I've got some rose tea for ye."

"My favorite," Charlotte stated with a smile as she reached for the cup.

Tenley's eyes darted between the two for a moment before she continued her examination of Charlotte.

Across the bunker, Lucy approached the reading nook in the corner of the large main room. Her slender fingers danced along the spines of the old books on the shelf as her eyes took in the delicately embossed script of the titles. Her fingers stopped on an old maroon book whose title had long been worn off. She pulled it from the shelf, holding it in her hands as she read the gold-pressed title on the front. 'The Lost Colony'.

"That's one of my favourites," a small accented voice spoke behind her.

Lucy turned around, her brown eyes landing on a small male child of maybe seven. "Aren't you a little young for such a story like this?"

The boy shook his head, the unruly auburn curls bouncing on the top of his head. With a small chuckle, he replied, "I'm not a baby...I like that story a lot. It's quite mysterious."

Lucy glanced at the book before turning back to the boy. "What makes this one so special?"

A beaming smile erupted across the boy's pale-freckled face as he reached up for the maroon book. Lucy passed it over to him, following the boy over to the small wood and glass coffee table a few feet away.

Kneeling beside the child, Lucy watched with amused interest as the boy flipped through the pages to some of the pictures. "The story is interesting enough on its own but," the boy stopped and pointed to an image in the book, "the real story is hidden within the pictures themselves," he glanced up to look at Lucy who leaned over to stare at the image, "though no one believes me..."

The picture on the page showed a crude drawing of the small colony of Roanoke in the distance and the tree with the carved message 'CRO' in the foreground. Lucy's eyes darted about the picture, unsure what the child was referencing because she already knew about the carving.

Another voice called out to them as they were hunched over the book, "Wren! There you are! You took off!"

The boy and Lucy lifted their gaze to see a young woman with red hair standing a few feet away from them, smiling at the two politely as she waited for the boy to join her.

Lucy turned her eyes back to him. "Your name is Wren?"

He nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "Wren Rogerson."

"Is that your mom?" she asked, pointing to the waiting woman.

Wren shook his head. "No," he whispered, his lips dropping into a slight frown. "My mum is dead. She passed away a very long time ago, I was told."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Lucy told him. "I'm Lucy."

"Wren," the woman called out to him. "It's time to go. Say goodbye to your new friend."

Wren rolled his brown eyes. "I'd much rather stay here with you but I have to go and do my maths."

"A very important skill to have," Lucy replied, smiling warmly at him.

He shrugged, standing up from the coffee table. He pointed to the open book. "If you read the rest of the book, maybe we can talk about it in detail?"

Lucy chuckled at his mature wording. "I'd like that."

Wren walked away and joined the young woman. The two walked hand in hand toward the schoolroom which was located in a different part of the bunker.

Lucy's brows drew together as she thought over young Wren's comments about the book. Her eyes darted back to the drawing on the page. She couldn't shake the strange way he claimed the pictures told a different story than the words in the story. Grabbing the book from the table to sit in the comfy recliner behind her, Lucy studied the picture again. Twisting her lips in thought, she knew she'd be up for a while scouring the book for clues - if there were any to be had.


	61. The Extreme

1948

Flynn followed Quinn and Wyatt through the run-down brownstone building, searching for the apartment where Abba Kovner and the others were meeting up inside. He tried to stay focused on the task at hand but his mind kept wandering back to the truck that nearly took Wyatt out moments before.

Rufus glanced over to see Flynn lost in thought. Elbowing the tall man in the side, he asked, "Hey man, you okay?" Side-glancing over to Rufus, Flynn nodded curtly but remained silent. Rufus blinked at him before muttering, "Good talk."

The group reached the top of the creaky wooden stairs to the fourth floor. The once beige carpet had turned black from heavy traffic, peeling and fraying along the baseboards. There was a single light bulb left swinging in the middle of the long hallway, casting dancing shadows along the wall. The groaning of the building settling as the wind blew against it sent chills down their spines, making them wonder if the structure was sound or if it should be condemned.

Quinn's dark eyes darted down the length of the hallway before noticing a small shadow moving along the floor on the far end. He pointed, speaking in hushed tones, "Down there."

Rufus whispered, "How do you know? What if it's a neighbor or something?"

Wyatt shook his head. "No, it makes sense," he started. "That apartment would overlook the bakery and the prison...it's definitely them."

"What's the plan here?" Rufus asked, glancing between the two. "Just go down the long creepy hallway and knock on the door?"

Quinn and Wyatt exchanged glances before nodding. Quinn began to meander down the hallway as Wyatt turned back to Rufus. "Unless you have a better plan?"

Rufus sighed. "Oh no...I love barging headfirst into danger...builds character." Wyatt rolled his eyes, following Quinn. Rufus and Flynn turned to one another before trudging along behind.

As the four neared the door, they heard scuffling on the other side. The moment they stopped walking, the door flew open and they were greeted by three men, all armed with rifles aimed at them. The time team raised their hands defensively as they stared down the barrel of the guns.

"We were wondering how long you'd take to find us," Abba Kovner stated, pushing his way through his armed men. "What do you want?"

"We mean ye no harm," Quinn said, eyeing the guns aimed at them. "We've come to warn ye."

"Warn us?" Abba repeated. "What could you possibly have to tell us? Did you notify the authorities about our whereabouts?"

"Should we have?" Quinn challenged. When Abba didn't immediately respond, Quinn continued, "We've come to warn ye that yer plan will fail."

"Liar!" one of the armed men behind Abba shouted. Abba raised his hand to silence his man before motioning for Quinn to continue.

Quinn licked his lips. "We know ye've got a large dose of arsenic to kill quite a few of the prisoners at Langwasser but ye won't succeed."

Abba sucked his lower lip into his mouth, eyeing the men before him. He released his lip with a pop. "You'd better come inside. It's not safe, even in this abandoned place - ears are always listening."

The team exchanged glances before entering behind Abba. The armed men kept their weapons trained on them as they closed the door secured behind.

Abba walked over to the table in the middle of the nearly empty room. There were half a dozen people crammed inside, all awaiting orders. Placing his hand on his hip and another on the table, Abba's eyes drifted to the papers strewn on the top. "We've had men on the inside of the bakery for months." He lifted his gaze to the team. "We've been sneaking in a lot of the poison needed to lace the loaves of bread going to the SS held within Langwasser...but you say that it won't work. How do you know?"

"How did they know about our plans, Abba?" another man questioned. "I don't like this!" Abba held his hand out again to silently order his men to stay quiet. His eyes never left the teams' as he waited for their answer.

Quinn cocked his head to the side. "Ye wouldn't believe us if we told ye the truth...so why don't we cut the pretense. We don't want to see ye come to harm."

The men chuckled around the room. Abba raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you know why they laugh at you?" he asked, glancing about the room before settling on them once more. "Because they know you're wrong. Wrong about what, you ask? Wrong about everything."

"What do you mean?" Wyatt asked. "We came here to warn you-"

"And I supposed you did just that," Abba confessed, "but you're not the first person to warn us of our plans and offer assistance."

"What are you-" Wyatt couldn't get the words out in time.

Abba held up his hand, telling Wyatt to stop. "We've been educated by someone who wants this mission to succeed-"

"Educated?" Quinn repeated. "In regards to what?"

Abba held the team's gaze. "The arsenic we were planning on using wasn't enough," he admitted. "We were told it would only make the SS sick but no deaths. That's not good enough for us. They need to pay for what they've done to us!"

Those in the room nodded in agreement, an occasional 'aye' was heard. The team watched as the tensions rose with Abba's speech.

"We were approached by a man who offered to help our cause," Abba stated. "He provided us with a better poison to ensure our success."

"What's the poison?" Quinn asked. "What did he give ye?"

Abba pointed to a side table where a box of small glass vials was stacked. Rufus motioned to them, asking Abba silently for permission. When Abba gave a curt nod, watching him carefully, Rufus approached them. He stared at the vials in the box, making sure to not touch them.

Inside the vials, he spotted a bit of silvery-white metal slivers inside. His mouth fell open as he whirled around to face Abba. "Thallium? He...he gave you thallium?"

Quinn groaned, pinching the bridge to his nose. Wyatt glanced between them. "I don't understand," he confessed. "What's thallium?"

Rufus turned back to the team. "It's a chemical compound with an atomic number of 81. It's highly toxic-" Realizing the others were going to get lost with his lengthy explanation, he stopped, humming in displeasure. It didn't take him long to conjure up another question. "But...why?" he questioned, brows drawing together. "Why would...I mean, what would he gain from doing this?"

Abba inhaled slowly. "There's a man inside the prison he wants dead. As long as we use his poison and give his target the laced bread, that's all that he wants."

"Who is the target?" Flynn questioned.

"Who's he?" Wyatt asked at the same time.

Abba's eyes darted between them. "There was a man inside who works for an organization just as evil as the Nazis," he began. "Perhaps you've heard of them. Rittenhouse?"

The four exhaled sharply, shoulders slumping. Flynn muttered, "Rittenhouse?" He turned to Quinn. "Did you know about this?"

Quinn shook his head but didn't have a chance to say anything. Abba's head leaned back slightly. "Ah, so you do know of this Rittenhouse…" he crossed his arms over his chest and asked, "Is it true? Is Rittenhouse as bad as they said?"

"Depends," Wyatt interjected quickly.

"On?" Abba asked.

Wyatt didn't hesitate. "On who told you."

Abba's eyes narrowed on them. "I think I've told you enough."

"No," Wyatt challenged him. "I don't think you have-"

The armed men within the room held their guns, aiming directly at the group. They waited for the order from Abba. Abba blinked at Wyatt. He sucked on his teeth before shrugging. "A man named Weidmann brought it to us."

"Weidmann?" Wyatt repeated. "You trust a German to follow through and help kill more of his own people? Are you seriously that gullible?"

Abba's expression shifted slightly as he thought about Wyatt's words. He cleared his throat. "He's a defector," Abba explained. "He's working for someone else."

"Who?" Wyatt pushed. "Because from where I'm standing, you're one step away from making a big mistake."

Abba glanced about the room. The expressions of realization on those in the room grew. The men turned to Abba for guidance and understanding. Abba sighed, pulling a chair out from the table to sit. He collapsed onto the seat, holding his head in his hands. "They murdered millions of us...like lambs at a slaughter." He lifted his head, tears forming behind his dark eyes as he silently begged them to understand. "We were hunted down, murdered in ways you couldn't possibly understand…"

"My family served in the war," Wyatt told him. "I know better than anyone just how bad it was."

Quinn cleared his throat. "Ye don't want to do this," he told Abba. "If ye do this, ye'd be no better than them."

Abba's tears fell from his eyes as he turned to the others. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice cracking. "I failed all of you...I trusted the wrong people…"

Quinn asked, "What will ye do now, Abba?"

He shook his head, wiping his nose across the top of his hand. "I'm not sure. We still have our mission…"

"You're still going through with it?" Rufus asked, shocked. "Even though you know it's not worth it?"

"Not worth it?" Abba repeated, eyes flashing with ire at him. "Tell that to the millions of people dead because of those in that camp!" He bolted to his feet, kicking the chair backward. "If there's a chance to do them harm and remind them that we are not helpless lambs, then I'm willing to send that message!"

"But you just said-" Wyatt started.

Abba stared at the team. "You have a decision to make," he told them. "Either you help us with this - and ensure its success - or you die. The choice is yours."


	62. The Extraction

Present Day

Rowan returned to the infirmary after escorting Charlotte back to her room to rest. He stopped a few feet before Tenley's desk where she sat staring at her journal, causing her to glance up at him as he asked, "What's wrong with her?"

Tenley leaned back in her chair. "She's dehydrated," she said with a half shrug, "and she needs to rest."

"Seems like that's all she's been doing," he confessed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Ye didn't see anything off with her examination?"

Tenley shook her head. "Was I supposed to?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "She's been acting...different…"

"In what way?"

Rowan shifted in his spot. "I'm not sure how to explain it without sounding like…" he sighed heavily, shoulders slumping forward, "like a crazy person."

Tenley held his worried expression with one of her own. "Rowan," she began, her voice gentle, "you know you can tell me anything, right?"

He nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line. He lifted his gaze to meet her. He inhaled deeply. "She's a visionary."

"A what?"

"She can see the future."

Tenley blinked at him. "What? Like...Like - "

He nodded again. "Like Jiya, aye," he told her. "It's something she's had her whole life."

Tenley's eyes darted around his face. "Does…" she hesitated, "does Quinn know?"

"Aye, he knows," Rowan admitted. "She's told us some of the things she sees but…" Tenley waited for him to continue as he seemed to get distracted. He averted his gaze to his boots. "I think the visions are what's causing her to lose sleep."

"Why didn't you tell me she was your mother?"

Rowan's eyes snapped up to Tenley's. "Ah, I see she told ye." He leaned against one of the nearby exam tables. "I didn't want anyone to know."

Tenley stood from her desk, approaching him. "Why?"

"It wasn't safe," he confessed, studying Tenley's expression. "For any of us." He shrugged and added, "Still isn't."

"She said something similar about you," she told him. Rowan chuckled slightly. She hesitated but asked, "What do you know, Rowan? What aren't you telling me?"

His pained expression turned away from her as he pushed off of the exam table. "It's not safe yet," he warned. "I'm doing everything I can," he turned to face her, "I promise ye… I won't let anything happen - "

"Rowan," Tenley interrupted, her voice laced with a warning, "Don't string me along...not after everything we've been through."

"I can't," he whispered. "I can't risk losing it all…"

"There's no one here," she whispered back, motioning to the empty room.

Rowan shook his head. "That's where ye're wrong," he said, glancing toward the door. He turned back to face the doctor. He stepped up to her, wrapping her in his arms to embrace her, his lips dropping to her ear. He whispered, "We have a mole."

"What?" she whispered back, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling closer to him. "How do you know? Who is it?"

Rowan leaned his head against her forehead. "I don't know yet," he whispered. "But ye need to be careful."

"Why?"

"I think they're after ye," he replied.

Tenley's brows drew together. "You think?"

Rowan shook his head. "I know…" he swallowed, voice dropping again, "I know... because I've seen it…"

Across the bunker, Lucy curled up in her bed with 'The Lost Colony' open in her lap. She was nearing the halfway mark of the story itself but if she hadn't been carefully studying the drawings inside the book, she would have finished it by now.

The story itself was a clear fabrication of the historical facts as they knew them to be regarding Roanoke. The author inserted fictional characters within the story to tell it in a more sci-fi based manner. So far, she had enjoyed the novel until she turned the page.

The drawing on the page, much like the others, was roughly sketched in pencil or ink from long ago. It seemed to be done from the window of a building from the colony itself, overlooking the rest of Roanoke and the thick forest surrounding it.

The forefront of the drawing showed the open window, the delicate eyelet curtains hanging on either side of the window, the small table underneath the windowsill, a small potted plant on the ledge, and a small stack of books next to a freshly baked loaf of bread - still steaming from the fire - on the table.

Outside the window, the artist sketched the town, including the passersby on the ground. In the distance, the thick woods surrounding the colony showed slight breaks in the trees. The longer Lucy stared at the image, the more details she spotted in there. The hastily sketched lines curved in places behind the trees. She followed those lines and realized she could make out not one but three Time Machines in the forest.

Flipping through the pages, Lucy didn't stop until the next drawing. This one seemed like an innocent enough sketch of one of the distant houses surrounded by trees, a small plume of smoke escaping from the stone chimney. The longer she studied the drawing, the more she noticed strange strokes of the pen within the shrubs.

Reaching over to her end table, Lucy grabbed her reading magnifying glass and brought it back to the book. Upon closer examination, she could identify the strange markings - a body. Hiding within a shrub near the house was the unmistakable shape of a body. Then she spotted another. Then another. She started to keep track of how many she found but quickly lost count.

Grabbing a pen, she started numbering the bodies she found within the picture. By the time she finished examining the drawing in its entirety, she had found 120 bodies hiding within the trees, the brush, the planks of wood along the house's porch, even within the smoke of the chimney. She sighed heavily, leaning back from the book. Her eyes bounced around her room in thought. She realized that was the same number of colonists at Roanoke.

Flipping back to where she left off in the story, Lucy began to read. This time, she was determined to read it more carefully, hoping to spot more of these hidden details. She didn't want to skip reading the story in case there was a clue hidden within the text. They had encountered this before with Poe's works.

It would be a long night.

1948

That evening when the city slept, Quinn and Rufus were escorted to the bakery with some of Abba's men. Two men were carrying the boxes of the thallium behind them. The men leading them, opened the door to the bakery, allowing the others to slip inside.

Rufus glanced over to Quinn. "Tell me you have a plan."

Quinn blinked at the man, turning his gaze to take in the bakery's surroundings. The tall warehouse-like building had boxes of flour and other supplies stacked neatly around the room, the smell of baked bread filled their nostrils.

Quinn's eyes drifted along the shelves to the floor. He could see a break in the wood planks where he suspected they had been stashing their poison. His suspicions were confirmed when the men carrying the box of thallium set it down to open the floorboards.

Quinn clicked his tongue, gaining the attention of Abba's men. "Are ye sure ye want to do this?" he asked, tilting his head at them. "If this plan fails, who do ye think will be blamed for it?"

"Shut up," one of them muttered, turning back to the opening in the floor.

"If ye're caught," Quinn continued, "it's not Abba who goes to trial for this...it'd be ye…" the men glanced up at him again, and he continued, "and it won't be Abba standing before the firing squad. It'd be ye and ye families."

The men paused their work to exchange worried glances. One of them stood up and approached Quinn. "Shut up."

"Ye know I'm right," Quinn pushed. "Ye know it's the truth because I can see the doubt lingering behind yer eyes. Ye know if there was no risk, Abba would be the one in here doing this - not ye."

"He's got a point," one of them replied, looking up to the man standing before Quinn. "If Abba knew this would succeed, he'd be here - "

The man before Quinn shouted, "Shut up!" He whirled back to Quinn. "Unless you want me to shoot you," he pointed to Quinn's chest, "you'd best shut up."

"I don't think ye have the guts," he challenged. "Ye think ye do but yer not like them...ye're a tailor, not a murderer."

Rufus inhaled sharply, shifting in his place. "We can still make a break for it…" he added. "We can just tell Abba we did it… and not risk killing ourselves in the process - "

"Shut up!" the man shouted again.

Rufus shook his head. "You don't understand," he started. "This stuff," he pointed down to the vials of metal in the boxes, "it's incredibly dangerous to handle. It will kill you… it starts with losing your hair then it will feel like you're walking on hot coals…"

The men near the crates stopped their work, listening intently to what Rufus was saying. "Hair loss?" Rufus nodded. The man near the crate stood up and said, "Amir lost his hair in clumps, Eli. Maybe we should listen - "

"Shut up," Eli told him. "Amir is sick - "

"Sick from this stuff," the man continued, backing away from the crates. "He was in charge of it before - "

Eli whirled around. "I lost my family to these monsters!" he spat. "I refuse to let them off so easily!"

"But they don't," Quinn told him. "They'll be tried and executed. Laws -"

"Laws," Eli spat. "Laws mean nothing to people like this! Abba was right. I should just kill you - "

Before Eli could get his gun aimed at them, Quinn grabbed the barrel of the rifle, pushing it away from Rufus. Eli pulled the trigger as Quinn jerked the gun away from him. Rufus hunkered down behind some crates for cover. Quinn smacked Eli across the face with the butt of the gun, turning it onto the other men.

"Don't do something ye'll regret, eh?" Quinn warned them. The men nodded, hands raised by their head. They glanced down at the unconscious Eli. Quinn asked, "Now, answer truthfully… do ye really want to do this or would ye rather go home to ye families?"

The men glanced around at each other before the one confessed, "We want to go home."

"And what of Abba?" Quinn questioned. "Are ye planning on warning him of what took place here?"

The men shook their heads. "He trusted a German," the man told him. "How can he trust one of them but expect us to kill more?"

Quinn lowered the gun, nodding. "Godspeed."

The men kept their eyes locked onto Quinn as they shuffled out of the bakery as quickly as they could, never looking back.

Rufus padded over, glancing down at the unconscious Eli. "Did you know they would leave and let it go?"

Quinn shook his head. "No," he said, turning back to Rufus. "I took a gamble."

"Hell of a gamble," Rufus muttered.

Quinn motioned to the vials. "What do we do with all of that?"

Rufus sighed, shoulders slumping forward. "Yeah...this will be fun without the CDC's help…"

At the entrance to the prison, Flynn, Wyatt, Abba, and a couple of Abba's men were waiting for the guards to grant them access inside. Wyatt glanced over at Flynn, before turning back to look over his shoulder at the two armed men Abba brought with them. He pieced together a potential plan to overpower the two behind them if necessary and he hoped Flynn could see his intentions on his expression.

He turned back to Flynn and furrowed his brow. "Hey," Wyatt muttered. "You okay?"

Flynn blinked at him but didn't have a chance to answer. The door to the prison opened and the group was escorted inside. They followed their escort deeper into the facility.

Wyatt and Flynn carefully eyed the men they passed by, making mental notes of who appeared to be working with Abba, Rittenhouse, or simply historical people about to be caught in the crosshairs of whatever crazy scheme was set into motion.

They were led to a small room just outside the guardhouse tower. Abba turned to the escort as soon as the door closed behind them. He reached out, shaking his hand. "Are we all set?" Abba asked.

The escort nodded. "We're ready on our end," he admitted. "What about at the bakery?"

Abba eyed Wyatt and Flynn. "We'll know in a moment."

The escort turned his gaze over to the two. "Who are they?"

Before Abba could answer, a massive explosion shook the building. The lights flickered as they swung on their chains above them. Scattered shouts and screams echoed within the evening air. Another blast shattered the windows, throwing people off balance.

Bracing themselves against the wall, everyone's eyes darted outside. In the nearby warehouse, outside of the prison, bright orange flames licked the navy sky. The dark black plumes of smoke billowed and disappeared into the night. Alarms blared around the prison.

Wyatt turned to Abba. "What is this? What's going on?"

Abba's dark eyes were wide, the shock was written on his expression. His mouth fell open, lip quivering. He blinked away the confusion as he stammered, "I-I...I don't… I don't know!"

"You didn't orchestrate this?" Wyatt questioned him. Abba shook his head. "If you didn't do this, then who did?"

Abba struggled to answer. The fear on his face was enough for Wyatt to realize this was more than Abba's ambitions. Turning to face Flynn, Wyatt asked, "What do we do?"

Flynn's gaze remained locked outside of the guardhouse to the prison yard. The prisoners were becoming restless and taking down the guards on the inside. His lips pressed together for a moment as he explained, "There's a riot out there."

"What?!" Wyatt gasped, sidling up to Flynn. He glanced outside to see the prisoners overpowering the guards. Wyatt turned back to Abba. "What are you doing?"

Abba shook his head, hands raised defensively. "I swear- I … I didn't know-"

With clenched fists, Wyatt marched closer to Abba. "What were you thinking?!" He snatched the front of Abba's shirt, holding onto him as he hissed through gritted teeth, "What is the point of all of this?"

"Wyatt!" Flynn called out to him. "Let him go."

"You can't be serious!" he retorted, glancing over his shoulder to Flynn. "He's killing innocent people - "

"This isn't his doing," Flynn told him, eyeing him briefly from the corner of his eye. "Not entirely."

Wyatt blinked at him, unable to understand the words. "What?" He glanced between Abba, who was still under his grasp, and Flynn, who remained fixated by the window. "What does that mean?"

Flynn blinked, his eyes locking onto a familiar pair outside near the distant wall of the prison. With a slight jerk of his head, he silently ordered Wyatt to join him. "I believe Rittenhouse set this up."

Wyatt tugged Abba over to the window so he could peer out of the dirty panes. His blue eyes darted around the riot taking place outside in the prison square. "What do you see?"

Flynn sucked his teeth before admitting, "I recognized the driver of the truck that nearly ran you over earlier." Wyatt's eyes glanced over to him, confusion creeping across his expression. Flynn said, "I couldn't place why I recognized him until now."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Wyatt questioned, brows drawing together in confusion.

Flynn pointed toward the far end. "That man there," he began. "Does he look familiar to you?"

Wyatt's eyes narrowed onto the short frame of a man in a black suit. His black poufy hair was sloppily slicked back. His chiseled jaw jutted out as he barked orders to some of his men, encouraging the rioters to wreak havoc. "No," Wyatt admitted, turning back to Flynn, "Should he?"

Flynn nodded, a seriousness crossing his expression as he kept staring at the man. "That's Eugen Weidmann," he explained.

Wyatt blinked at the name. "Why does his name sound familiar?"

Flynn licked his lips. "Because that's the name of the man who helped get their thallium," he began, motioning to Abba. "But more importantly, Bloodstone stopped his execution in 1939."

Wyatt jerked back as if Flynn's words slapped him in the face. His mouth parted as his mind started to piece together that mission and the details from it. "Christopher Lee?"

Flynn nodded. "And his lackeys gave you quite the beating - "

"Yeah, yeah...I remember," Wyatt nodded as he retorted. "What the hell is he doing here?" He cocked his head to the side as a thought hit him like a ton of bricks. "Wait a minute," he began, holding Flynn's gaze, "You said he was Bloodstone in 1939 but you think this was set up by Rittenhouse?"

Flynn nodded, glancing back outside. "That's because," he said, pointing again, "that's Emma talking to him now."

"You've got to be kidding me," Wyatt scoffed, glaring out of the window again. He spotted the bundled-up red hair he grew to hate.

Emma stood beside Eugen Weidmann, speaking to him and seemingly giving him orders as the riot erupted around them. Even from this distance, Flynn and Wyatt could tell Emma didn't look quite the same as the last time they had seen her. She turned to face Eugen, pointing her finger at him as if scolding him. The two noticed the large swell of her belly underneath her clothes before she stormed away from the riot.

Just as Wyatt opened his mouth to remark on what they witnessed, the windows to the guard tower behind them shattered; shards of glass rained down onto the cement floor. Bullets ricocheted into the building causing the three to cringe and dodge for cover.

"We're gonna die!" Abba shouted in a panic. "This is not what they said would happen!"

"Who?!" Wyatt shouted over the noise. "Who said this wouldn't happen?"

Abba's lips quivered from fright as he covered his head with his shaky hands. With wide eyes, he cried, "Reynolds!" Flynn and Wyatt exchanged glances.

Another massive explosion shook the guard tower, a monstrous roar engulfed their ears. They covered their heads with their hands as the building shook violently, breaking the support beams overhead, causing them to come crashing down into the room with them. Crackling of fire eating the wood grew in intensity as the smoke took over the place.

"We have to get out of here!" Flynn coughed as the heavy smoke invaded his lungs.

Wyatt's eyes narrowed through the hazy smoke. He could make out the briefest glimpse of light peeking through. He coughed hard. "This way! I think I see a way out!"

As Wyatt led them out of the inferno surrounding them, his ears caught just a second too late the crack of another support beam coming loose from the ceiling above. His eyes snapped up to see the beam swinging down towards him. Acting quickly, Wyatt dodged backward, stopping Abba from continuing forward in the process.

Flynn watched as the support beam crashed into the wall adjacent, crushing the drywall on its descent just before it covered the walkway and those standing there. He bent down, tossing fragments of burned plaster off of a terrified Abba before helping him to his feet. "Wyatt!" he called out, eyes darting about the debris, "Wyatt! Are you okay?"

Violent coughing could barely be heard beyond the chaos surrounding them. "Yeah," Wyatt replied, pushing the pieces of the drywall off of him. "I'm here…"

Flynn's eyes landed on the soldier as he carefully stood up out of the debris. His gaze dropped to the trail of crimson running down the side of Wyatt's face and neck, soaking into his clothes.

Abba gripped the tufts of hair on the sides of his head, panicked. "We're gonna die! We're gonna die!"

"Hey, Miley!" a new voice called out. The three turned around to see movement entering the burning ruins of the guard tower. With cloth covering their mouths, they spotted Rufus and Quinn. Rufus's head tilted to the side briefly. "Looks like you came in like a wrecking ball," his eyes darted between the three men, "Let's get you out of here before you decide to wre-eh-ck me."

Despite being happy to see their friends, Wyatt and Flynn, both with clenched jaws, rolled their eyes at Rufus as they helped Abba Kovner out of the destroyed prison and toward safety.


	63. People Without Hope

Present Day

The smoky, soot-covered team returned to the bunker and regaled those there of the events that took place. Tenley worked on cleaning Wyatt's wound as they spoke. He had a superficial laceration to his temple and brow but it was the gash down his neck that brought concern as it would require numerous stitches to close up.

Lucy couldn't tear her eyes off of Wyatt's wound. She had seen the scar this wound would leave behind. She had seen it before when he chased them through the Met. She recalled wondering how he got it and when. Now her stomach twisted in painful knots as she realized this was the mission to do it.

"What happened to Abba Kovner?" Agent Christopher asked. "You didn't just leave him there for Rittenhouse to find?"

Quinn shook his head. "Once we got them out of the rubble," he started, motioning to Flynn and Wyatt, "Flynn and I scouted the area looking for Rittenhouse. They were long gone by the time we returned."

Agent Christopher turned to Lucy. "What does history say about him?" Lucy didn't acknowledge the question. She was too preoccupied with Wyatt's wound. Denise cleared her throat. "Lucy?"

Lucy blinked back to the present, turning to see several pairs of curious eyes staring at her with worry. With a sigh, she licked her lips. "Uh… he… he left vengeance aside and focused on teaching poetry at a university."

"And what about the thallium?" Denise asked, turning her attention back to Rufus and Quinn. "What did you do with that?" The two men exchanged glances. Rufus shifted in his place awkwardly. Denise's eyes narrowed on them. "What did you do?"

Rufus's head tilted to the side. "We uh…" he hesitated before admitting, "we sort of used it to start the fire."

Wyatt's head snapped up at the revelation. "You!?" he cried. "You caused the explosions? The fire? All of it?"

Rufus's shoulders shot up to his ears as his hands went out in defense. "We had to do something," he retorted. "We saw Emma going into the prison and-"

"Wait," Wyatt stopped him, "You saw Emma?"

Rufus nodded. "Yeah, and we knew we couldn't exactly knock on the front door of a prison to bail you out…" he stopped to think about what he said and nodded, choosing to skip the sarcastic remark he could have made.

Mason eyed Rufus. "Did...did you say you used that thallium to cause the explosions?"

Rufus's body language shifted to that of a child getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Maybe?"

Agent Christopher noticed Mason pinching the bridge to his nose in disapproval. She made a note to ask him about that later but there was a more pressing matter to discuss. "What happened with Emma?"

Rufus shuddered. "Well, she obviously met someone," he started, "hopefully charming but probably evil," everyone's brows drew together as he rambled on, "then I'm sure one thing led to another-"

"Rufus!" Christopher interjected, breaking him out of his rant. "What are you talking about?"

Rufus glanced about the group, stunned. "Oh, sorry," he said, "I thought we mentioned earlier that she was knocked up."

"What?!" Jiya exclaimed. "How did that happen?"

Rufus cocked his head to the side briefly. "Well, when two people - " Jiya smacked his arm. "Ow!" he gasped, holding his arm. "Oh! You meant like...of course, yeah, I have no idea."

Wyatt nodded. "I think it was a future version of her," he admitted. "We only caught a glimpse of her but she seemed... older."

"So, what did she want with Abba Kovner?" Christopher asked.

The team exchanged glances before Quinn cleared his throat. "I'm not sure she was even after him," he told Denise. "I think she was there for the team."

Flynn nodded in agreement, crossing his arms. "She was speaking to Eugen Weidmann."

Lucy's head snapped up at the mention of the name. "Weidmann?"

"Why does that name sound familiar?" Denise asked, glancing at the team.

Lucy turned her attention over to Agent Christopher. "We went back to Paris, 1938, about the time he was due to be publicly executed - "

"Count Dooku mission, right?" Rufus asked as he snapped his fingers with recognition. Lucy nodded.

Denise's brows drew together. "But you said he escaped and became part of Bloodstone," she recalled, turning her gaze to Quinn and Rowan. "So, what's your man doing with Emma?"

The brothers glanced at one another, clearly confused. "We don't know what yer talking about," Rowan admitted. "We've never worked with this Eugen Weidmann."

Wyatt motioned for Tenley to stop working on his wound for a moment. He stared down Rowan and Quinn. "What do you mean, you've never worked with him?" He turned his attention over to Flynn. "Didn't you see him dressed up as one of them?"

Flynn nodded, straightening as he turned to look at the brothers. "He was dressed in a black suit, just like the men who stopped his assassination," he stated, "just like every other Bloodstone agent we've encountered."

The brothers looked at one another briefly before Quinn licked his lips. "We've never worked with him."

"So, you're saying you're not Bloodstone?" Jiya asked, eyes darting between the two of them.

"I'm saying," Quinn sighed, "We haven't been a part of Bloodstone in quite some time." The room fell silent as they stared at him in disbelief. Quinn shifted his weight onto his other leg. "We're what ye'd call 'defectors' of the cause."

"Wait," Wyatt said. "Hold on...you're defectors? From your own crazy cult?"

Rowan shifted awkwardly in place, lifting his gaze to his brother. Quinn nodded. "We didn't agree with some of the changes that were taking place," he explained. "We didn't believe in the endgame."

Rufus muttered under his breath, "I could have sworn one of you was Reynolds."

"What do you mean by endgame?" Wyatt questioned. "What does Bloodstone want?"

"What they want," Quinn confessed, "hasn't changed despite so many other things that have."

A wave of silence washed over the room as they thought about it. Mason released a sharp gasp of realization as he came to the answer before anyone else. "You mean," he started, "Bloodstone is still after Tenley?" he turned to look at the doctor, "even after all of this time - after all of the changes to reality?"

Quinn's expression hardened as he nodded the confirmation. "They never stopped wanting her," he said.

"But why?" Lucy questioned, glancing over to Tenley. "Why would they be so pressed to find her?"

"Is this why you defected?" Jiya asked, turning back to Quinn and Rowan.

Agent Christopher held her hands up, stopping the onslaught of questions. "Hold on," she interjected. She glanced back at the brothers, asking, "What happened to Eugen Weidmann?"

Quinn shrugged. "Never heard of him," he stated again. "We'd have to hit the books again."

Wyatt groaned as Tenley finished patching him up. "More books?" he shook his head as he turned his gaze over to Denise. "Why not see if your friend at Homeland can help like last time?"

"Last time?" Rowan repeated. "What last time?"

"When Tenley disappeared," Mason began. "We got some help from Homeland Security to scour through images on the mainframe in hopes of discovering what happened to Flynn and Tenley."

Quinn's lips were twisted in thought before he turned to Denise. "Do ye trust him?"

"I think so," she answered. When she saw the look on Quinn's face, she nodded, changing her answer. "Yes. Of course, I do."

Quinn nodded curtly, glancing over to Rowan. "It's time. Let's show her."

"Show her what?" Wyatt questioned, narrowing his eyes at them suspiciously.

The brothers led everyone to the control room as Quinn entered first. He pushed the chair aside, approaching the far wall with the hanging calendar and bookcase. He pulled at one of the books gently until they heard a click echo within the room. The bookcase sunk inward, sliding out of the way, revealing another room.

Rufus's mouth dropped. "You've got a super-secret villain lair within your super-secret evil bunker?" he gasped, glancing at Rowan. "Who are you people?"

Quinn turned his attention back to the group. He motioned toward the newly opened room. "After ye, Agent Christopher."

She hesitated before she approached the opened wall. Peering inside, she saw the familiar glowing of lights coming from computers. She entered slowly, eyes wide, taking it all in. She blinked, asking, "This was here the whole time?"

Quinn chuckled. "We still needed a way to keep in touch with the outside world, yeah?" he commented, eyes taking in the stunned expressions staring back at him. "No one is ever really 'off the grid'."

Denise turned her attention back to him. "So, I can contact Homeland Security from here?"

Quinn nodded, pointing to a monitor. "This one will bring up their servers."

"It's linked to their mainframe?" Mason questioned.

Quinn glanced over his shoulder. "Ye think we don't have help in Homeland?"

Denise sat down at the monitor, typing to gain access to her Homeland Security server. As she navigated through the computer system, she stopped, eyes narrowing in confusion.

Mason noticed. "What's the matter?"

Agent Christopher continued typing, concern washing over her features. "Maybe I'm just looking in the wrong place…"

"What are you looking for?" Wyatt asked, leaning against the doorframe.

Denise ignored the probing questions as she continued scouring through the network. She sighed, leaning back into her chair. "He's dead?"

"Who?" Flynn pressed. "Who's dead?"

"Luke," Denise replied. "Luke McCann - "

"Wait," Jiya interrupted. "That guy who came helped us when Flynn and Tenley were missing?"

Agent Christopher nodded, turning her gaze over to the team. "Died in the line of duty," she stated, motioning to the monitor, "according to the systems."

Wyatt scoffed. "Died in the line of duty?" he repeated. "I thought he was a pencil pusher."

"Died of boredom," Rufus muttered. "Or assaulted by files." Jiya shot him a quick glance, eyes widening at him. He cleared his throat, shifting in his place. "Sorry."

Denise's lips twisted in thought before she started typing again. She hummed to herself before announcing, "He died shortly after he helped us."

"Do you think Rittenhouse found out he helped us?" Mason questioned.

"It's possible," Agent Christopher said with a shrug. "But now, this presents a whole new set of problems…"

"How so?" Wyatt asked.

Denise stood from the monitor, turning to the others. "It means we're on our own."


End file.
